Adelaide United coach Carl Veart expressed his delight after his team’s seventh consecutive away victory, a hard-fought 2-1 win against Wellington Phoenix on Saturday afternoon. The result marked their first triumph in Wellington since 2018, continuing their remarkable away form in the 2023/24 A-League season. Here’s what Veart had to say following the match:
Veart on Adelaide United’s Performance
“Very pleased with the three points. The boys worked hard today. We could have maybe made it a little bit easier for ourselves with the football we played in the first half, to have taken a bit more advantage of that. So, yeah, very happy that we got three points in the end.”
Veart on Key Away Wins
“That’s seven wins away from home now, which is critical for us. We’ve dropped a couple of easy points at home, so it’s important that we keep picking up points as many as we can. It was always going to be tough here, Wellington defend very well, so we’re very happy to come away with the three points.”
Veart on Their Approach to Away Matches
“We don’t really change much whether we’re playing at home or away. We play the same brand of football. Teams tend to attack us a little more when we’re away, which gives us a bit more space. But we don’t change too much.”
Veart on Missed Opportunities
“I’d like the boys to start taking more of their opportunities. We had some great chances to score a second or third goal, and when you keep good sides in the game, they’ll get an opportunity. Wellington did that and really pressed us a lot more in the second half, making it difficult for us. But in the end, we’re happy to get the three points.”
Veart on Second Half Pressure
“Wellington scored early in the second half, and they pressed a lot more. We knew that was going to happen, but we didn’t make the most of the opportunities we had on the counterattack. Still, as I said, we’re happy with the win. I’m not sure if this is the first win I’ve had in Wellington, but it’s always a difficult place to come.”
Veart on Zach Clough’s Influence
“Zach’s been with us for three or four seasons now. He’s really settled in well, loves the lifestyle in Adelaide, and this season, he’s taken on more of a leadership role. His ability to find space, play passes, and his delivery is first class.”
Veart on Luca and Archie’s Competition
“Luca has come off the bench twice now to score winners, and Archie has done exceptionally well starting games. They’re both young, hungry number nines pushing each other, which is all we can ask for. There will be moments where one starts and the other comes off the bench, and they need to take their opportunities.”
Veart on the Season Ahead
“It’s difficult to judge where we are in the league with the byes, and some teams having played more games than others. But we know we’ve got a tough second half of the season ahead, playing a lot of the big clubs, so it’s important we keep picking up points.”
