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Adelaide held by Changchun Yatai

19 March 2008 | 22:10 - AAP

Nathan Burns and Wei Cui battle it out at Hindmarsh Stadium (Getty)

Adelaide United have maintained a narrow leadership of their AFC Champions League group with a tepid 0-0 draw against Changchun Yatai at Hindmarsh Stadium.

The Chinese champions had indicated pre-match they would be happy to escape Adelaide with a point, and it was duly achieved via a combination of sturdy defence and cynical time wasting.

Yatai captain Samuel Caballero provided the stumbling block for countless Adelaide attacks as Bruce Djite, Nathan Burns and Travis Dodd were unable to conjure a goal.

United came closest to scoring when Diego clattered the crossbar with a 66th minute effort from well outside the box.

Lacking a trio of national team players ahead of China's World Cup qualifying date with the Socceroos, Yatai nonetheless started the better, impressing with their technique and movement from the back.

United coach Aurelio Vidmar had resolved to place his team on a more defensive footing for this competition and his players seemed largely intent on defending their territory.

Occasionally they would attack in the hope that a goal would eventually result through the talent of Djite and Burns or the dead ball delivery of Jason Spagnuolo and Lucas Pantelis.

Burns managed a glanced header on target in the eighth minute from Spagnuolo's free kick and also had a strong volley blocked close to goal in the 32nd, but it was Yatai that created the half's two best chances.

A 10th minute free kick presented striker Zadi Dah with a free header he directed straight at Adelaide stopper Eugene Galekovic and in the 32nd Dah took a clean strike at the end of a flowing counter that flashed centimetres wide of the post.

The second half proved a more open affair, though goals never came.

Burns pushed further forward to link up with Dodd and Djite, and on 49 minutes the latter's flick-on from a Cassio throw-in gave Burns a chance that was very well saved at close range by Tianhe Mi.

There were signs of fatigue among Yatai's midfielders and defence, and six minutes past the hour Diego was able to waltz forward from his holding role for his crossbar rattler.

Djite's strength cleared a 71st minute path inside the box for Dodd, but he took less time than was available and scuffed the shot badly wide.

By now Yatai had committed to scrounging for the draw, and used numerous time wasting stratagems as the final whistle neared.

Caballero, Feng Yan and Tianhe Mi were booked for dawdling, but there was still time for Cornthwaite to fire a header over the bar from Cassio's free, and in stoppage time Angelo Costanzo also headed over.

Cornthwaite's second yellow card in as many weeks means he will miss United's next fixture in Vietnam in three weeks.

Adelaide United: 30.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 2.Richie ALAGICH (23.Dez GIRALDI 82’), 4.Angelo COSTANZO, 6.CASSIO, 7.Lucas PANTELIS, 10.Nathan BURNS, 11.Bruce DJITE, 13.Travis DODD (Captain), 18.Robert CORNTHWAITE, 21.Jason SPAGNUOLO (14.Shaun ONTONG 75’), 22.DIEGO.

In the other Group E game, Pohang Steelers bounced back to form with a 4-1 away win at Binh Duong.

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