Adelaide United Head Coach Theo Tsiounis praised his side’s resilience, composure and growth after the Reds claimed a famous 2–1 win over Melbourne Victory at Coopers Stadium – their first victory over their Original Rivals in more than three years.
Goals from Fiona Worts and a stunning olympico from Paige Zois sealed a memorable night, extending United’s unbeaten run and underlining the progress of a young but rapidly maturing group.
Tsiounis on the emotions post-match…
“It was great to get the result. The girls deserved it. They dug deep and had some really good passages of play. To walk away with three points in such an important game is really rewarding for them.”
Tsiounis on ending the Victory hoodoo…
“We spoke about the importance of the game. Every week is important, but Melbourne Victory being the Original Rivals makes it a little bit sweeter. To walk away with three points means a lot.”
Tsiounis on the tactical performance and edge…
“Going forward, we combined quite well and looked dangerous when we broke quickly. Victory have quality and some fantastic players, so to nullify some of their opportunities was really pleasing. Toward the end we dug deep, showed grit and determination — that’s a really important part of the game plan.”
Tsiounis on Fiona Worts’ opener…
“She’s a special player. She can create something out of nothing and she’s got real quality in her finishing. You see it in training. We’ve been building her up over the last few weeks and for her to score like that was top level – clean, clinical and deserved.”
Tsiounis on Paige Zois’ olympico…
“Paige has been sensational for us and she’s getting better week by week. We spoke about the back post as a potential opportunity and Rian [Goalkeeper and Set Piece Coach] has worked relentlessly on set pieces. For Paige to bend that in from that angle was outstanding – credit to her.”
Tsiounis on Ilona and the goalkeeping group…
“Ilona’s been sensational. She’s an outstanding talent and she gets better every game. She’s still got a long way to go, but she’s heading in the right direction. The environment between the goalkeepers is really positive – they push each other, support each other, and that competitiveness is exactly what we want.”
Tsiounis on managing the closing moments…
“It was exhausting, that’s for sure. Managing games is a big part of player development – knowing when to slow it down, how to slow it down. The determination and fighting spirit really came through, and that’s what got us over the line.”
Tsiounis on the unbeaten run and belief…
“We’ve always been competitive. There hasn’t been a game where I felt we didn’t deserve something, aside from maybe Brisbane. The focus stays on the process and the details — that’s what ensures outcomes keep coming. We’ll keep building, keep improving, and keep moving forward.”
Adelaide United now turn their attention to a midweek trip to Newcastle Jets with confidence growing and belief firmly established after a landmark Original Rivalry victory.
