Auckland FC, Adelaide United locked at 1-1 after first leg of A-League Men semifinal
Saturday, 9 May 2026
At Go Media Stadium, Auckland: Auckland FC 1 (Lachlan Brook 24’) Adelaide United 1 (Harry Crawford 63’). HT: 1-0
Just as quickly as the football game ended, the mind games started.
Maybe Auckland FC coach Steve Corica genuinely believes his side’s 1-1 draw at home with Adelaide United on Saturday was “100%” a positive result in the first leg of their A-League Men semifinal tie.
Maybe Adelaide coach Airton Andrioli genuinely believes his side aren’t now the favourites.
Even though they are heading home to a sold-out Coopers Stadium with the tie all square, their leading scorer Luka Jovanović coming back from suspension and Auckland forward Guillermo May in serious doubt.
More likely they were both trying to send messages to their teams.
In Corica’s case: We must remain positive, even though we failed to make the most of a home fixture once again.
In Andrioli’s: Don’t get complacent.
The reality from a neutral point of view is that while it might be 1-1 on the scoreboard, it is Adelaide who will be favourites at kickoff next Friday [9.35pm NZ time].
Teenager Harry Crawford’s first goal of the season put them in that position – a tap-in at the back post in the 63rd minute after Yaya Dukuly surged past Auckland right back Hiroki Sakai to cross from the left.
Lachlan Brook had put the hosts in front in the 24th minute, pouncing to curl a shot into the bottom-left corner after Cam Howieson had scuffed his effort when a Sakai cross was cleared only as far as the top of the box.
Adelaide had forced Auckland goalkeeper Michael Woud into making three saves in quick succession in the opening 10 minutes at Go Media Stadium, but the hosts finished the first half strong in front of 16,093 fans.
They suffered a big blow four minutes into the second when May couldn’t continue after hurting his ankle while making a defensive clearance. Corica said the Uruguayan would be going for scans, then added: 'It doesn't look great, to be honest with you, but it's hard to say right now”.
Another followed within five minutes, when Cam Howieson was accidentally poked in the eye, then found himself unable to stand up straight. After sitting down and being assessed he was able to walk to the side of the pitch and appeared determined to continue, but Auckland’s medical staff had the final say.
While Howieson should be fine to go in Adelaide – it wasn’t a concussion sub – Corica was forced into a reshuffle with midfielders Felipe Gallegos and Jake Brimmer both out injured. Jake Girdwood-Reich moved forward from centre back to central midfield, while Nando Pijnaker came off the bench to take his spot.
Pijnaker had been warming up as early as the 13th minute and Corica revealed after the match that Sakai had felt something in his groin in the warm-up, before playing a full 90 minutes. He was moving gingerly as he walked down the tunnel at fulltime and will no doubt be monitored closely.
Left back Francis de Vries returned after missing Auckland’s last five matches with a calf injury late in the contest, but it was Adelaide who went closest to breaking the deadlock, when Juan Muniz thundered a shot from way out into Woud’s crossbar in the first minute of stoppage time.
“Next week, the pressure’s on them,” Corica said afterwards, in a post-match press conference where he was bemused by what he perceived to be a negative outlook from his questioners.
“We’ve been [to Coopers Stadium] before. We’ve played there. We’ve done well there [coming from behind to draw 2-2 in January 2025 and to draw 1-1 last month]. We haven't beaten them there, but they haven’t beaten us either.”
While they beat Melbourne City in a penalty shootout in their home elimination final last Saturday, Auckland have now gone seven matches without a win inside 90 minutes [or 120].
Their last win – over the Premiers’ Plate-winning Newcastle Jets on March 14 – came on the road and was one of their finest, but another next Friday would top it.
Right now, they would probably take a draw and more spot kicks.
Auckland relish situations like the one they now find themselves in and Andrioli was no doubt bearing that in mind as he struck a cautious tone when asked about Adelaide’s home advantage.
“We still have to go there and play our game and win the game on the day. We don't win the game beforehand. Nobody wins the game beforehand. Nothing falls into your lap. We need to work hard, because we’re close to where we want to be, but we're not there yet.”
“I don't believe in favouritism,” he added. “I don't believe in underdogs. It's an equally-matched game of football.”
The two teams go again in six days’ time.
The Jets came from behind to draw 1-1 with Sydney FC on the road in the first leg of the other semifinal.
The second leg of that tie will be played in Newcastle next Saturday [kickoff 9.45pm NZ time].