Adelaide United has a long, rich history with Coopers Stadium and, this Friday, the partnership will notch a significant milestone, with the Reds playing their 250th A-League Men’s match at the venue.
The milestone marks the first time an A-League Men’s club has played 250 games at a single venue.
The next most A-League Men’s games by a club at a venue is Newcastle Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium (241 games), followed by Central Coast Mariners at Industree Group Stadium (240).
Adelaide United’s first home A-League Men’s game was played at Coopers (then Hindmarsh) Stadium on September 2, 2005 against Brisbane (then Queensland) Roar.
The Reds had previously played 14 National Soccer League games at Coopers in 2003-04.
Coopers Stadium has also hosted the most Australian men’s National League games (NSL and A-League Men combined) by far, with 727 games played since the first game on April 3 1977, when Adelaide City hosted Brisbane Lions.
The next most Australian men’s National League games played at a venue (as of 29 March) is McDonald Jones Stadium with 381, followed by AAMI Park with 337 games.
Since its inception of the inaugural A-League season in 2005, Coopers Stadium has been the backdrop to Adelaide United’s footballing journey, weaving together the very fabric of the Club’s identity.
The Inaugural A-League Encounter
Adelaide United began its journey at Coopers Stadium (then Hindmarsh Stadium) with a clash against Queensland Roar on September 5, 2005.
It was Round Two of the newly-formed competition and the match ended nil-all.
But the fans would only have to wait a week to celebrate United’s first goal and home win – and against the Club’s original rivals.
Adelaide United faced Melbourne Victory the next week and enjoyed a 1-0 win at Coopers Stadium, following Louis Brain’s goal inside the first 11 seconds of the match.
The goal remains the fastest goal scored in A-League Men’s history.
Since then, many memorable moments have taken place at the stadium.
The First A-League Final
Adelaide United finished the Inaugural A-League season top of the table and the Reds made their finals debut at Coopers Stadium on February 12, 2006 against Sydney FC.
In the first leg of the Semi-Final and in front of the largest home crowd of the season, the Reds gave up an early lead when Sydney’s Steve Corica scored just nine minutes into the game.
But the hosts quickly hit back, with Travis Dodd and Fernando Rech putting Adelaide into the lead.
The first half concluded with Sasho Petrovski of Sydney FC equalising in the 39th minute, setting the stage for a tense second half, where neither team could secure a decisive victory in this classic finals encounter.
Sydney FC would go on to defeat Adelaide 2-1 at Sydney Football Stadium the following week, ending the Reds season.
The Biggest Victory
Coopers Stadium has been the stage for some monumental victories for the Reds across the years, none more notable than the standout win against North Queensland Fury on January 21, 2011.
The historic 8–1 victory was the largest winning margin in A-League Men’s history, and remains an equal record winning margin to this day.
Remarkably, the Reds later matched this achievement in the 2014–15 season with a resounding 7–0 triumph over the Newcastle Jets at Coopers Stadium.
The win against North Queensland also marked a unique milestone, as Marcos Flores and Sergio van Dijk both notched hat-tricks, making it the first and only instance where two players from the same team achieved such a feat in a single match.
From unforgettable victories to nail-biting draws, each match has contributed to the rich tapestry of footballing history and has cemented Coopers Stadium as more than just a venue. It is our home.
This Friday night’s A-League Men’s game is sure to be a special occasion to mark the milestone. Get your tickets here.
