Adam Le Fondre debut goal earns draw for Sydney FC at Adelaide United

James Elsby/Getty Images

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Sydney FC's prized signing Adam le Fondre scored on his A-League debut to salvage a 1-1 draw against Adelaide United in a cagey season opener.

Le Fondre's goal cancelled out an audacious strike from Adelaide's Scott Galloway in the Friday night fixture in Adelaide.

The former Reading striker was gifted silver service from playmaker Milos Ninkovic's low cross into the box in the 78th minute and neatly clipped his first shot at goal in the A-League into the net.

Le Fondre's strike came after United's Galloway had produced a stunner on the cusp of half-time.

Galloway, on debut for the Reds and at his fourth A-League club in three years, produced a classy shot that beat Sydney goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne from 15 metres with the clock ticking into the third minute of a scheduled two-minute injury time.

German midfielder Mirko Boland, busy throughout his debut for the Reds, crossed to teammate Craig Goodwin on the edge of the 18-yard box, who played back into Galloway's path.

The 23-year-old took a controlling touch, settled onto his right boot, and launched a shot which sailed over the diving Redmayne, who was arguably too far off his line.

"We all make mistakes   -- it's about how you respond to them afterwards," Sydney FC coach Steve Corica said. "I think we showed great character, the boys stuck together and we got a point in the end."

Galloway's goal was rich reward for Adelaide who, with Goodwin influential along the left flank, controlled much of the opening half.

Sydney recruits Le Fondre and Siem de Jong showed glimpses but the Sky Blues took until the 40th minute to record a shot at goal when Brandon O'Neill aimed a curling attempt that just missed the top corner.

Galloway's top-shelf finish then delivered Adelaide momentum and thereafter they set about stifling Sydney's renowned attacking flair in the second half.

The Reds, before a parochial 10,018-strong home crowd, largely succeeded until Le Fondre slipped the defence to equalise with the visitors' only shot on target in the second half.

Adelaide, like Sydney, could only muster three shots on target, but coach Marco Kurz was heartened by his side's performance.

"We played a very good first half, we had game control and good pressure on the ball," he said.

"In the second half, if you will beat Sydney you must score two goals and we missed maybe the last pass, the last consequence, in the finishing."