Adelaide United made Hyundai A-League history in August 2005.
On the 26th of August – a Friday night – they played in the first ever game in the Hyundai A-League.
For the record, Carl Veart was the man who made personal history, heading home in a 1-0 win over the Newcastle Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium (then called EnergyAustralia) in front 13,000 fans.
Veart hit the net against the Jets with a 19th-minute goal.
And the Reds, coached by John Kosmina, held on for the first ever three points of the league.
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Interestingly, Socceroo Veart scored against a current A-League player. Liam Reddy was in goal that night and true to form kept the Novocastrians in the game with a top reflex save to keep out Reds skipper Ross Aloisi inside the final 10 minutes.
Other current A-League players that night included Jade North (now Roar) for Jets and his teammate Mark Bridge, now with Wanderers (ironically Bridge scored against Jets last weekend).
Fox Sports’ Ned Zelic also played for the Jets that night.
“This is the beginning of a new era. We created history tonight by winning the first A-League game, away from home when no-one expected us to win,” Aloisi told reporters after the game.
“We believe in ourselves, and we showed tonight that we can play good soccer – or football.”
Richard Money, the Newcastle coach, added: “Best team won on the night. We weren’t clever, not enough craft to get through the defence. No width first half, no room for Zelic to move.”
