Adelaide United continued their unbeaten run with a hard-fought 1-0 victory in the humidity at Newcastle Jets on Saturday night. Head Coach Carl Veart spoke to the media post-match, reflecting on the team’s performance and several key moments. Here’s what Veart had to say:
Veart on the team’s resilience:
“It was tough, you know, tough conditions out there today as well, and to dig in and show that spirit and hold on and get three points… it was excellent.”
Veart on Ben Folami’s red card decision:
“It was a bit soft. I don’t see how that was violent conduct. Both boys were in a tangle, falling to the ground, and his hands reached out. It’s not a swinging arm or an elbow; it’s an open hand. So I don’t understand how that can be seen as violent conduct, or how VAR can step in to say that.”
Veart on challenging the red card suspension:
“Yeah, I think that’s something we will look at. My report from other people aligns with what I think, so we’ll see where it goes.”
Veart on the team’s strategy after the red card:
“After that, it was just about not conceding a goal, staying strong, and seeing if we could get something on the counter-attack. We nearly did a couple of times. So, great resilience from the boys to dig in and not give too many opportunities in that last 25 minutes. I’m very happy.”
Veart on missed opportunities early in the game:
“We’ve done that a couple of times already this season—played some really good football, created great opportunities, and just haven’t taken them. Tonight, we should have had three or four, maybe in the first 20 to 25 minutes, and then the game is finished. But by not doing that, it kept the Jets in and gave them belief. It’s something we need to improve on if we want to go a long way this season.”
Veart on Archie Goodwin’s first start at home:
“Archie’s been building. We’ve been increasing his minutes in every game so far, and his involvement when coming off the bench has been excellent. It was a great opportunity for him to play more minutes tonight, especially back here in front of his family and friends. With a little bit more luck, he could have had a couple of goals himself. He’s been excellent since joining the club, and he’s got his body in a really good position to repeat his efforts.”
Veart on Archie Goodwin’s potential as a fan favourite and striker:
“Yeah, most definitely. Archie has some real goal-scoring aspects to his game. I think he will score a lot of goals for us once he gets his full sharpness. I’ve said before, he’s a 15-to-20 goal striker a season. His movement is excellent, his finishing is excellent. He might have been a little rusty with the first couple of chances tonight, but we’re very happy with his output so far.”
Veart on Stefan Mauk’s 150th game and leadership:
“Stefan has been a previous captain at the club, so he’s got great leadership qualities. He works extremely hard in the middle of the park for us, took up good positions today, and scored. He could have had one or two more. We’re fortunate to have a good balance in the squad with strong leaders who help our younger players develop.”
With their resilience and depth shining through, Adelaide United continues to push forward with their ambitions this season.
