The vibe is back at Coopers - Can Airton Andrioli's Adelaide United maintain it?

Airton Andrioli's first A-League match ended with three points. But more importantly, it marked a shift in the atmosphere surrounding Adelaide United. Front Page Football  analyses what went right against Sydney FC and if it can last.

For the first time in a while, the positive energy at Coopers Stadium was palpable. (Image: Brock Pearson Photography)

The 7th of February 2025. That was the last time Coopers Stadium felt like a genuinely good place to be for Adelaide United supporters.

On that day, the Reds defeated eventual champions Melbourne City, recovering from an away loss to Sydney FC, followed by a win against rivals Melbourne Victory and a draw at home to Auckland FC.

The Reds won one more game in the season, at home to Wellington in April, but that was a very different experience. That was the first win in nine games, days after being hammered by last-placed Perth Glory. The feeling was relief, not joy.

The relief was short-lasting. The Reds did not win again in the 2024/25 season. Steve Bradbury-ing themselves into the Finals Series did not help.

With the vibe already low, Carl Veart's exit led to a domino effect of comments from the likes of Travis Dodd, Ryan Tunniccliffe, and Josh Cavallo. The negative feeling at Adelaide United was only amplified by player exits, creating a challenging situation for incoming coach Airton Andrioli to handle.

The A-League off-season is a long and unforgiving one when things aren't going your way. An early Australia Cup exit to eventual winners Newcastle did not allow for any goodwill to be built during the winter months, predating the season.

Thus, the Reds entered Round 1, hosting Sydney FC at home in the season's opening game, with the fans having more questions than answers about the side they support.

Before a ball was even kicked, a tribute by the club and its fans to retiring club legends Isaias and Javi Lopez warmed the hearts and satisfied the masses, especially when you consider how the club has treated members of its royalty through the years.

On the pitch, it was clear from the outset that Andrioli was keen to back players who had served him during his time as the club's NPL coach, with his 2023 local league-winning combination of Ethan Alagich and Jonny Yull starting. Luke Duzel was also given a rare starting berth in the middle of the park, where he excelled on the day.

The trio was supported by Craig Goodwin, who, as he did during pre-season, took on a more free role in the attacking midfield space, similar to his experiences in Saudi Arabia and at times for the Socceroos.

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This altered look created a very different picture of the Reds, who were no longer as heavily reliant on counter-attacking transitions, especially in wide areas, as they were during Veart's spell. Confident play in the middle of the park pleased the nearly 12,000 spectator crowd and created early chances that Harrison Devenish-Meares spectacularly saved.

Despite the positive start, a scoreless first half ensured that nerves kicked in for Reds fans who had witnessed their team ship 10 goals across their last three matches at Coopers Stadium during the closing weeks of the 2024/25 season.

Adelaide United fans know that their team must simply take their chances, because if they don't, they cannot possibly prevail in the weekly shootouts they drag themselves into. Airton Andrioli's men deserved to be ahead before the break. But even more importantly, they held Sydney FC at bay with relative comfort.

When the goals did come, courtesy of Ryan Kitto through a Craig Goodwin corner and Ethan Alagich from an acute angle, the feeling of positivity was well and truly back on Manton Street, led by The Red Army facetiously chanting "we are top of the league" as the league's opening match neared its conclusion.

While it looked like Andrioli's side had ticked all the right boxes in its first league hit-out, an avoidable Joe Lolley injury-time goal saw tension creep back into the minds of punters.

Adelaide was unable to keep possession as Sydney mounted a multitude of attacks searching for an equaliser that would have seemed beyond far-fetched only minutes earlier. Despite traumatic memories, such as dropping points to Auckland in similar circumstances the previous season, the Reds prevailed, sending their fans home happy with three points.

Overall, the signs were positive, but Adelaide's record in recent years does not allow for it to be merely dismissed. Post-game, Andrioli admitted that his young bench can be coached into managing those late-game situations.

The youth and defence factors will be keenly observed throughout the season in Adelaide, as the Reds will need to start experimenting with untried A-League players if Bart Vriends or Panagiotis Kikianis ever become unavailable.

While the victory gives the South Australians a much-needed injection of positivity, football moves on, and so must the Reds. Andrioli's men hit the road for their next couple of games, taking on Macarthur and Auckland FC away.

The Reds are sure to be tested, but they have given themselves a solid platform to work from after surrounding the club's program with some long-sought positivity.

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