Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
How they qualified: 3rd place - A-League 2010-11; beat Persipura (IDN) 3-0 in play-off
Established 2003
Nickname Reds
Home stadium Hindmarsh Stadium (16,500)
Website www.adelaideunited.com.au
Club Honours
A-League premiers 1 - 2006
Previous ACL appearances
2007 - Group stage
2008 - Runners-up
2010 - Round of 16
Having reached the AFC Champions League final in 2008 and qualified for four of the six editions for which they have been eligible, Adelaide could claim with some justification to be the competition's most successful Australian side.
However, they are not entering this year's group stage in the best of form after a poor run that has seen the South Australian club slip to ninth in their 10-team league and out of the running for a spot in the championship play-offs.
Their dismal early season performances prompted the club to replace Dutch coach Rini Coolen with former boss John Cosmina in December but although they enjoyed a brief revival by going unbeaten in their first five matches under the caretaker manager, a run of just one win in nine games effectively scuppered their play-off hopes.
Kosmina must find a way to raise the morale of his flagging side, whose leaky defence had conceded a league-worst 39 goals after 23 games while scoring only 24 despite the creative talents of Brazilian playmaker Cassio and the predatory scoring instincts of striker Sergio van Dijk.
The Reds secured their spot in the 2012 tournament by finishing third in the A-League in the 2010-11 season and then trouncing Indonesian champions Persipura Jayapura 3-0 in a play-off match at Hindmarsh Stadium in February.
Expectations
Adelaide have performed well in the AFC Champions League in the years when they have done poorly in their domestic league. They missed the A-League play-offs in 2008 and 2010 but reached the final and the last 16 respectively on the continental final in those years. With the A-League not likely to be a distraction against this year, the Reds should be fully focussed on their AFC Champions League campaign this year and should prove a handful for their Group E rivals.
Coach
John Kosmina
Having missed out on Adelaide's first AFC Champions League foray in 2007 after resigning as their head coach shortly before the tournament, John Kosmina will get a second chance with his hometown club on the continental stage after being appointed as their caretaker coach last December. The former Australia international forward was Adelaide's coach while they were in the National Soccer League and he led them to the Premiership title in the A-League's inaugural season in 2005-06.
Did you know?
Adelaide played against all of their Group E rivals during the 2008 AFC Champions League. They eliminated Pohang Steelers during the group stage after winning both of their matches and beat Bunyodkor 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals before losing 5-0 on aggregate to Gamba in the final. They also met Pohang during the group stage in 2010, winning 1-0 at home and drawing 0-0 at the Steelyard.
Key Player
Sergio van Dijk
Sergio van Dijk joined Adelaide United on loan from Brisbane Roar in early 2010, but after netting two goals in seven AFC Champions League matches, the prolific Dutch striker signed a full contract with the Reds and went on to win the A-League's golden boot in 2010-11 with 16 goals. Born to an Indonesian father, van Dijk is eligible to play international football for the Merah Putih and the 29-year-old is reportedly in the process of applying for Indonesian citizenship.