Adelaide United have started the season with a bang, defeating reigning Champions Central Coast Mariners 3-0 at Coopers Stadium on Friday night.
A late sealer from defender Nick Ansell added to goals scored by Ben Halloran and Zach Clough on either side of half-time to wrap up all three points for the Reds, who got the post-Craig Goodwin era off to a flying start in the Isuzu UTE A-League season opener.
Mariners defender Jacob Farrell received his marching orders in the 80th minute for a pair of yellow cards earned for two fouls in quick succession on Musa Toure on a night to forget for the Champions in Adelaide.
Reds head coach Carl Veart gave starts to three teenagers – including Nestory Irankunda, who made his maiden A-League Men start against the Mariners. Before long, the Champions were rocked by a pair of injuries to crucial starters Brian Kaltak and Alou Kuol, with the former withdrawn after just 22 minutes and the latter limping to the sidelines 10 minutes later.
INJURY UPDATE: Positive update to double injury blow as Mariners avoid a ‘nightmare’: ‘Could have been worse’
Two enforced changes by the half-hour mark destabilised the Champions, and in the 38th minute the hosts broke through for the opener. A swift team move fed through Clough and then Hiroshi Ibusuki, who turned on the edge of the box to feed a pass into Halloran’s path for a first-time finish off the crossbar.
Clough had hit the post earlier in the first half after a determined piece of wing play from Irankunda, who took a heavy touch to round his direct marker Jacob Farrell and supply a cut-back cross for Clough to strike against the woodwork.
Adelaide doubled the advantage just beyond the hour mark when Dylan Wenzel-Halls – Kuol’s first-half replacement – committed a clumsy foul on new Reds captain Ryan Kitto in the box. Goodwin was Adelaide’s penalty taker last season – but on Friday night it was Clough who stepped up to the spot; he relished the responsibility, sending Danny Vukovic the wrong way to slot home the spot kick with ease.
The Mariners’ night went from bad to worse when Farrell earned two yellow cards in as many minutes for a pair of fouls on Adelaide substitute Musa Toure.
Farrell was dismissed by referee Alex King after the second challenge and the subsequent free-kick, taken by Bernardo on the edge of the penalty box on a tight angle, was served on a plate for defender Nick Ansell to head home a third for the Reds.
Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vukovic stood tall late in the piece, denying Adelaide on a number of occasions to ensure the margin didn’t balloon out to four.
The talking point
Irankunda’s first start
After two seasons spent solely as a substitute, teenage Reds sensation Nestory Irankunda made his first A-Leagues start on Friday night.
The 17-year-old will be determined to put together a big season in Adelaide, with Craig Goodwin’s off-season departure putting more responsibility on players like Irankunda in the Reds squad to up the ante in the final third.
Irankunda played 75 minutes against the Mariners; in past encounters with Central Coast he’s been contained by full-back Jacob Farrell, and their reunion on Friday night was one of the key plot points of the 2023-24 season’s opening fixture.
Irankunda failed to score or assist but was involved in plenty of the action, telling Paramount+ post-game he was proud of his efforts, while reiterating a point he so often makes in assessment of his own performance: it’s good – but it has to get better.
“I’m glad to get my first start,” he said. “We’re a great team right now, so I’m really happy with it.
“It’s a lot different to coming off the bench and playing a couple of minutes. I’ve worked hard this season to get the (most) minutes I could – and I reckon I’ve done the right thing today. I could do better, but it was amazing to be out there.
“Fitness-wise I’ve got a lot better… I just want to be the best player I can, so that’s why I’m always going to say I need to work hard.
“It was a great win and a great start to the season. I’m very proud of the team’s performance and my performance as well.”
The star
Zach Clough
When Ryan Kitto was fouled in the box by Dylan Wenzel-Halls, the immediate focus turned to which of the Adelaide players would step up to take the subsequent penalty in the absence of Craig Goodwin.
The responsibility was put on the shoulders of Zach Clough who relished the task at hand, delivering with a cool head to put the result beyond doubt.
It was the telling contribution in a commanding performance from the Englishman, who was involved in the build-up to Ben Halloran’s opening goal and also struck the woodwork in the first half.
Goodwin’s off-season departure left a gaping void in the Adelaide squad; his quality cannot be replaced by just one player, and a collective effort is needed to mitigate the impact of his transfer.
Clough looks set to be one of the main contributors to that effort, and played the part of the key man in attack to aplomb on a memorable night for the Reds in Round 1.
Clough revealed post-match how penalty duties were assigned to him midweek by new captain Kitto.
“I didn’t knock on (Veart’s) door,” Clough told Paramount+.
“Kitto came up to me, the skipper, and told me on Thursday the boss wants me on penalties. So yeah, I’ll step up. I’ve taken penalties in my career, and I’ll be confident on that over the ball.”
Clough’s first two seasons in Adelaide have been impacted by injuries; he managed just 19 appearances last season, but says a greater focus on recovery leading into the new campaign has him well placed to be a consistent performer in 2023-24.
“I’ve been really key on recovery this pre-season,” he said.
“I’m working hard – but working even harder on the recovery side of things. These little niggles, you lose rhythm when you take niggles like that. It’s important to stay fit. The body is feeling really good.. tonight I think we looked fit, strong. A great performance.”
What they said
Hear from both coaches in the aftermath of Adelaide’s 3-0 win at Coopers Stadium, beginning with Mariners Football Manager Mark Jackson, who provides an update on injured duo Brian Kaltak and Alou Kuol, before Reds boss Carl Veart expresses his delight at starting the club’s 20-year anniversary season with a win at home.
