Sydney FC and Adelaide United share 11 points at the top of the A-League ladder after the visitors were denied a second-half goal in a game which eventually ended in a 0-0 draw.

Marcelo Carrusca came the closest for Adelaide within the first 10 minutes when he stormed through Sydney's defence and unleashed a shot, but it glided over the crossbar.

The tempo increased for both sides as the half went on and Carrusca was involved again when he received a low pass from Cirio and drove the ball towards the left side of the net, but the goalkeeper was able to save.

After an open period of play, Adelaide began to take control with Carrusca and Cirio connecting well in the final third.

Nikola Petkovic was forced to clear the ball off the line following a scramble in the penalty area, which resulted in the ball falling to Awer Mabil, whose effort failed to slot into the back of the net.

Minutes later, Adelaide were denied by the post when Cirio charged into the box to hit a side-footed effort, but the ball smashed into the post and out of play.

After the break, Adelaide stormed out of the blocks and had a great chance to open the scoring when Carrusca whipped a cross into the box searching for Mabil, but the forward failed to connect with the ball and the chance went missing.

The home side continued to create chances as the ball dropped to James Jeggo in the box, but after bringing it down with his chest, the goalkeeper was able to come off his line to clear just in time.

At the other end, Sydney got the ball forward with Milos Dimitrijevic, who squared it to Marc Janko, but his first touch let him down and the chance went missing.

The controversial moment of the game came when Sydney's Petkovic found the back of the net with a curling free kick, but the referee disallowed the goal because he had not blown his whistle for the set piece to be taken.

Sydney tried once again and Janko came close to nabbing the breakthrough, but his shot bounced off the post and out behind.

Adelaide also had the ball in the back of the net in the 86th minute, but Bruce Kamau was denied due to a foul on the goalkeeper.

Both sides had numerous chances to break the deadlock with end-to-end play, but neither could convert their chances and were forced to share the spoils.