Reds Head Coach Carl Veart reflected on Adelaide United’s crucial 1-0 victory over Melbourne City at Coopers Stadium. The win marked an important response after a challenging first half and saw the team demonstrate resilience and defensive strength. Here’s what Veart had to say:
Veart on the overall performance and result…
“That first half wasn’t very good. But in saying that, we responded well in the second half. We dug in and showed great resilience to come away with a clean sheet. Even though we didn’t play our best, we defended very well, restricting them to hardly any shots at goal. For us to come away with a win, even when we’re not at our best, is a great sign of improvement in our squad.”
Veart on the changes made during the game…
“I knew with the wind, we’d be able to get a bit more in behind them. We could use Archie’s speed to cause them problems, and it showed in the first 5-10 minutes after Yaya [Dukuly] came on. He really put them on the back foot. The substitutes, including Austin [Ayoubi] and Ryan [White], gave us a lot of energy and made it very difficult for City. I’m happy with all three of the substitutes tonight.”
Veart on the challenges of the first half…
“It was difficult because we were missing passes and making mistakes that you wouldn’t normally see from our players. When you make those mistakes early in the game, it puts a bit of pressure on yourself, and we just couldn’t get out of our half. But we showed resilience, defended well, and kept them out of our box, so it was pleasing in that aspect.”
Veart on improving during the second half…
“At halftime, I told the group to forget about the first 45 minutes. There was no point discussing it. We focused on what we needed to do in the second half. We knew we had the wind and that if they kept their high line, we could get in behind and play a bit more direct. The boys did that well, and we got control of the game, with our passing improving. Everything improved from that point.”
Veart on dealing with Melbourne City’s press…
“Melbourne City’s press was very good, and we didn’t position ourselves well enough in the first half to deal with it. We needed to be closer together to play quicker passes and break their press. Those are things we need to learn and improve on the spot, not just wait for halftime. But overall, we defended very well and managed to keep a clean sheet.”
Veart on the clean sheet and defensive confidence…
“Keeping a clean sheet is huge for the entire group. We’ve been learning and building our resilience, and tonight, we showed a lot more organisation at the back. Even with players away on international duty, we defended well, and that’s a great confidence boost for the whole team. The defensive unit worked really hard, and it’s something we can build on moving forward.”
Veart on Archie Goodwin’s goal and performance…
“Archie bounced back well from last week. He could have had a couple of goals last week, but he wasn’t at his best. Tonight, his movement in the box for the goal was excellent. He’s still very young, and we have to keep that in mind. Before he came to the club, he’d only started a few A-League games. But he’s doing exceptionally well, and he’ll continue to improve with every game.”
Veart on the team’s progress and mentality…
“I’m really proud of the team tonight. We’ve come a long way in the last 18 months. We’ve brought in some good quality players, and you can see that tonight. Players like Bart [Vriends], who wasn’t at his best with the ball, but his defensive actions were excellent. That resilience is what we’ve brought into the team, and the whole squad should take confidence from tonight’s performance.”
Veart on the team’s growth and winning mentality…
“We’ve had some very high-quality players in the past who could win games by themselves. But this season, we want everyone to contribute, and that’s what we’re getting. It’s more pleasing for the players and coaching staff when everyone contributes and does their job. That’s the mentality we need to keep building on.”
