Auckland’s choke-hold on Adelaide United saw the Reds lurch out of the title race with barely a whimper at Coopers Stadium on Friday night.

Adelaide crashed 3-0 to Auckland, ending its 2025/26 season trophy aspirations after being in the best possible position to reach a Grand Final for the first time since 2016.

Adelaide hasn’t beaten Auckland in six matches since the club entered the A-League for the first time in 2024.

After a 1-1 draw in the first leg last weekend, Adelaide was belted at home in the second leg, firing just one shot on target in 90 minutes.

It’s understood Adelaide Oval had been booked for the A-League Grand Final on Sunday, May 24 — if Adelaide won hosting rights.

Newcastle Jets – the reigning A-League Premier – is still in the box seat to host the blockbuster, but a loss to Sydney in the second leg of the semi-final on Saturday could have handed Adelaide another chance to win the Grand Final in its hometown.

Adelaide’s season came to an end with goals either side of the break after United leapfrogged Auckland on the final day of the minor round season to snare second spot and the double chance for the Grand Final.

The Black Knights are now heading for a first Grand Final appearance and a chance to claim another trophy after coach Steve Corica led the club to the A-League premiership in its first season.

Adelaide’s season was on the line when Auckland’s Jake Girdwood-Reich nodded the opening goal home a minute before half-time.

A perfect corner from former Red Lachlan Brook, which evaded United’s Ryan Kitto and Bart Vriends, was all it took to separate the sides at the break.

Sam Cosgrove made it 2-0 from the penalty spot in the 58th minute.

The Englishman won the penalty when he was first to the ball ahead of Adelaide’s Panagiotis Kikianis after a perfectly weighted pass from skipper Hiroki Sakai.

Referee Daniel Elder awarded the spot kick, which was given the all clear by VAR.

Cosgrove’s 12-yard effort cannoned off the legs of Reds keeper Josh Smits before rolling over the line.

Substitute Logan Rogerson made it 3-0 with a simple tap-in from a Jesse Randall assist after a brutal counterattack in the 86th minute.

RESPECT BROOK

Adelaide kicked off the sudden-death tie in style by dominating possession, but it was the Black Knights’ Randall who had the first shot on target in the 19th minute.

However, the home side was dealt a savage blow when Brazilian attacker Anselmo, 37, was forced off the pitch with a reported hamstring injury in the 23rd minute.

Anselmo’s effort, which went wide in the 2nd minute, was the closest Adelaide came to testing the Black Knights in the first half.

He was replaced by Luka Jovanovic, who returned to action after he was suspended for the first leg of the clash after he was naively sent off in the final minor round clash of the season.

Former Gawler Eagle Brook then watched his shot rattle the post in the 32nd minute after he was subject to a hostile reception from some of his ex-fans.

Sakai had Smits at full stretch before Brook’s corner uncovered a weakness in Adelaide’s defending set pieces inside the box, which led to Girdwood-Reich’s goal.

Adelaide closed the half without a shot on target after Jonny Yull’s long-range effort failed to hit the target.

KNOCK ON WOUD

Ryan White had Adelaide’s first shot on target five minutes after the break from a counterattack, but Auckland’s 2026 FIFA World Cup-bound New Zealand keeper Michael Woud made a crucial save.

Adelaide started to turn the screws with direct diagonal long balls, trying to carve up the Black Knights’, but Yull’s effort was blocked in the 54th minute.

Three minutes later, Cosgrove made it 2-0.

GOODWIN HOPE TOO LATE

Louis Vestraete riled the Reds and their partisan fans in the 64th minute when the Belgian’s tackle on Yull resembled one that would do rugby proud.

Adelaide coach Airton Andrioli rolled the dice in the 70th minute, bringing on veterans, captain Craig Goodwin, 34, and Spanish wizard Juan Muniz, 34.

The pair replaced Brodie Burkitt and Kitto, with most of the 14,716 fans probably disappointed the pair hadn’t been introduced to the fray earlier.

Corica’s disciplined side outwitted the Reds in a remarkable turnaround where Adelaide lost for the first time in 12 matches when it crashed to the Jets at home on February 8.

Originally published as A-League men’s semi-finals: Auckland FC reaches decider after 3-0 victory over Adelaide United