Adelaide United Head Coach Airton Andrioli marked his first Isuzu UTE A-League victory with a 2-1 win over Sydney FC in front of over 11,000 fans at Coopers Stadium on Friday night.
It was a strong start to the new era under Andrioli, with standout performances from midfielders Ethan Alagich and Luke Duzel, whose energy and execution helped drive the Reds to a deserved opening-round win.
Andrioli on the result and performance:
“We’re extremely happy. It’s always a little nervy in the first game of the season – even though we had a long time to prepare – because this is the real deal. You’re playing for points, against a good opposition, in front of your home crowd. But I’m very happy with the performance. We didn’t just win the game – I think we deserved to win it by the way we played our football. I’m extremely satisfied with this first result.”
On what the win means personally:
“Winning football matches gives you confidence and helps with the buy-in. We’ve been working on so many things during pre-season, but executing them in a real game is what truly makes you believe in the process. I know we can play football the way we did tonight. The result helps with that belief. Now we enjoy the win, but it’s about the next action – the next training session, the next game – can we do it again?”
On the Reds’ style and execution:
“I was happy with the football we played – the connections, the principles, the things we’ve worked on in training. We saw that come through in the match, with players having the belief to execute. That’s positive. Of course, we can still improve because match fitness takes time, but to do it against a well-coached side with quality players – that gives us a lot of confidence.”
On responding to missed chances early:
“You made a good point – in previous years, maybe we’d miss those chances and then get punished. But tonight, we stayed calm, we stayed focused. I always say it’s about the next action. We didn’t score, then we go again. I was proud of the way we kept playing our football, and once we scored the first and second, I thought we could’ve gone 3-0 up. Of course, I’m not happy we conceded late – I wanted a clean sheet – but we’ll learn from it and move forward.”
On Luke Duzel’s standout performance:
“He’s a fantastic footballer. I don’t think there are many players in this league who can execute things the way he does. He played a lot under me in the NPL, and I’ve always believed in him. People have questioned his ability to finish games off or handle pressure, but tonight proved his quality. I really believe Luke has everything to be a top A-League player. He’s been working extremely hard, and I hope he continues on this path.”
On Ethan Alagich’s growth:
“Ethan’s performance didn’t surprise me. I know the type of player he is – very professional, very committed. He started getting minutes a few years ago, and every season he’s become stronger. He was one of the best on the pitch tonight, and he’s only going to keep improving. That’s the exciting part for us – these young players are still developing, but they’re already contributing at a high level.”
On tactical balance and playing style:
“Football is about recognising moments. We want a team that can play in front of the press, between the lines, and behind the press. It’s about being balanced and making good decisions. I’ve always believed in allowing players to take risks and express themselves, but in a disciplined way. I was really happy with how we adapted to different phases of the game tonight.”
On Craig Goodwin’s new role:
“Goody’s capable of playing centrally or wide – he’s done it for the national team. He understands the game well and can adapt to what the team needs. We gave him freedom to find those pockets, and he was influential. When he’s fit and strong, he’s a huge asset for us.”
On the importance of a Round One win:
“It’s a great feeling. You can do all the work behind closed doors, but you also have to convince the people who come to watch that you’re on the right track. We earned our result tonight – not because of luck, but because of the football we played. It’s much easier to have these conversations after a big win, but we won’t get carried away. We’ll be back at training, ready to start winning the next match from Monday.”
On the Coopers Stadium crowd:
“We’ve got the best supporters in Australia. I’m proud to coach this club and represent them. Looking around before the game, it was a fantastic feeling to see so many fans. We want to keep exciting them, keep earning their support. The club needs them – we need them – and we’ll do everything we can to make them proud.”
On trusting young players:
“They’re still young, but they’re gaining experience every week. Our bench tonight was very young – ideally, we’d have had a few more experienced options, but that’s part of our journey. If you train well and show desire, you earn your opportunity. Once you get it, it’s up to you to take it. Ethan is a great example of that. The group’s learning, improving, and now we focus on the next game – because you’re only as good as your last one.”
