NINE-GOAL THRILLER! Macarthur Edges Out Adelaide 5-4 in a Historic Showdown

The clash between Macarthur Bulls and Adelaide United on Friday night at Coopers Stadium was nothing short of a classic, as the Bulls triumphed 5-4 in a breathtaking nine-goal encounter in Isuzu UTE A-League history.

Macarthur surged into a 2-0 lead within the first nine minutes, with Chris Ikonomidis and Kealey Adamson putting the visitors ahead. However, by half-time, Adelaide had turned the tables, with Austin Ayoubi, Ryan Kitto, and Stefan Mauk all netting in a frenzied finish to an already thrilling first half.

The second half continued the drama, as Luke Brattan and Marin Jakolis scored to restore Macarthur’s lead at 4-3, only for Archie Goodwin to level for Adelaide with his ninth goal of the season.

This match followed a recent 4-4 draw for Adelaide against Auckland FC, and it seemed poised to mirror that outcome until Brattan struck again, securing a 5-4 lead for Macarthur—a lead they held onto despite a late goal from Adelaide being ruled out for offside.

The first 20 minutes at Coopers Stadium saw the score tied at 2-2 after Adelaide remarkably equalised from two goals down.

Chris Ikonomidis kicked off the scoring for Macarthur with a sliding, volleyed finish—marking his first goal in Macarthur’s colours.

Two minutes later, Adamson extended the lead with a powerful half-volley, showcasing his striking prowess and celebrating with an impressive backflip as the Bulls took a commanding position.

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With a promising start, Macarthur’s confidence surged, but by the 20-minute mark, Adelaide had levelled the playing field.

The Adelaide resurgence began with Ayoubi’s strike in the 13th minute, reducing the deficit.

Just five minutes later, Kitto’s stunning effort into the top-right corner restored parity for the Reds.

By half-time, Adelaide had taken a 3-2 lead thanks to Mauk’s impressive long-range effort that slipped past Bulls goalkeeper Filip Kurto, completing an astonishing turnaround.

Following the thrilling first half, it seemed unlikely that both teams could maintain such intensity into the second period; however, more excitement awaited as chaos reigned after the break.

Four minutes later, the Bulls were back ahead at 4-3, with Jakolis calmly slotting home after receiving a clever pass from Peter Makrillos.

Archie Goodwin, showcasing his skill, brought the score to 4-4 in the 73rd minute after intercepting a pass higher up the pitch.

It was Brattan’s night as he scored his second goal; after a free-kick was awarded just outside the box, he outpaced Jakolis for the strike and curled a shot over the wall into the net, granting Macarthur a 5-4 lead.

Adelaide thought they had levelled again when Luka Jovanovic converted a cutback from Jonny Yull, but a VAR review ruled the goal out due to offside in the build-up.

An equaliser would have equalled the record for the highest-scoring game in Isuzu UTE A-League history, matching the previous 4-4 results involving Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets and Wellington Phoenix. However, Macarthur held on for an exhilarating 5-4 win that kept their finals hopes alive.