In a night that will live long in the hearts of United fans, homegrown talent Ethan Alagich etched his name into Reds folklore by scoring the winner against our fiercest rivals, Melbourne Victory. It wasn’t just any goal—it was the goal that secured a vital three points in front of a roaring home crowd. Alagich, born and bred in South Australia delivered in what could be seen as the ultimate culmination of years of dedication to the club he has grown up loving.
Fresh off the back of his match-winning performance, Alagich reflected on the moment with humility and focus. “Yeah, it’s been good. It was a good win against probably our biggest rivals,” he said, before quickly pivoting to the next challenge. “But we’ve got a game in two days, so it’s been a quick turnaround. We’ve got to focus on that.”
For Alagich, scoring that winning goal was more than just personal glory. “It was a pretty good feeling,” he admitted, “but to have all the boys around you, and for us to put in that performance and get the result, that means more.”
Despite breaking into the Adelaide United squad in the last couple of years, goals haven’t always come easily for Ethan. This season, however, it’s clear that he’s making a conscious effort to add more goals to his game. “I’ve needed to score goals. I probably should have scored a few more before that,” he confessed, “but for me now, scoring is something I can keep adding to my game and keep getting better at.”
Saturday’s crowd at Coopers Stadium was nothing short of electric, and Alagich was quick to recognise the significance of playing in front of such a passionate home crowd. “It’s probably the best crowd I’ve played in front of by far,” he said with a smile. “I’m just happy we got the result for us, but also for them, because they’ve been turning out each and every week this season.” It’s clear that for Alagich, representing his hometown club carries a deeper meaning.

Growing up watching his father Richie Alagich play for Adelaide United, Ethan has lived and breathed the club for as long as he can remember. “It’s always special to come out and represent your hometown club each and every week,” he said, the pride evident in his voice. “I’ve been sitting in the stands so many times before, and now I get to play in front of this crowd.”
When asked about any special moments shared on the pitch, Ethan couldn’t help but mention his close bond with teammate Yaya Dukuly. “Yaya is one of my boys,” Ethan said with a grin. “I’ve played with him for quite a few years now, and for us, we know what it means to play for the club, having supported it for so long.”
It’s clear that the camaraderie within this young Adelaide United squad makes these moments even more special, both on and off the pitch.
And when it comes to coach Carl Veart’s fine system, Ethan couldn’t resist a cheeky jab after Veart confirmed in his press conference he fines Ethan $100 every time he shoots over the bar, which Ethan did in the first half.
“I guess hopefully that goal cancels it out. I think he started getting annoyed at one point maybe a couple weeks ago that I hadn’t really had a shot on target, and it just came from there.”
