Auckland FC climbed to the top of the A-League table with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Adelaide United at Go Media Stadium.
Sam Cosgrove opened the scoring for the hosts in the 25th minute before Adelaide’s Luka Jovanovic levelled just before halftime — the first goal conceded by Auckland this season.
The decisive moment came in the 79th minute when Louis Verstraete, moments after being booked, pounced on a rebound to seal the win.
Vice-captain Jake Brimmer praised the team’s resilience after skipper Hiroki Sakai was forced off injured, saying the result gave them confidence ahead of next week’s Kiwi derby against Wellington Phoenix.
Massive win.#AKLvADL pic.twitter.com/LGeVsyoa6E
— Auckland FC (@fc_auckland) November 1, 2025
