ADELAIDE, South Australia (Interstat) — Adelaide United opened its A-League season with a commanding 4-0 victory over Perth Glory on Friday night at a rain-slicked Coopers Stadium, delivering a performance that far exceeded pregame projections.

The match, played on Feb. 20, 2026, saw the home side dominate from the outset, netting three first-half goals to effectively decide the contest before the break. The comprehensive win handed Adelaide United a perfect start to its domestic campaign, moving its season record to one win and no losses. Perth Glory, conversely, began its season with a defeat, its record now standing at no wins and one loss.

Adelaide’s midfield set the tone early. Juan Muñiz opened the scoring in the 12th minute, firing home from the edge of the area to give his team a lead it would not relinquish. The pressure continued, and 17 minutes later, fellow midfielder Jonny Yull doubled the advantage with a well-taken finish, putting the hosts firmly in control.

The first-half onslaught was capped just before the interval by forward Luka Jovanovic, who found the net in the 48th minute to send Adelaide United into halftime with a formidable 3-0 lead. The goal underscored a dismal opening period for the visitors, who struggled to create meaningful chances against a disciplined Adelaide defense.

The second half saw Perth Glory attempt to regroup, but they were unable to break down the home side or find a consolation goal. The match grew increasingly fractious as time wore on, with three yellow cards issued in a seven-minute span late in the game. Perth’s Andriano Lebib was booked in the 82nd minute, followed by Adelaide defender Sotirios Phillis in the 84th and Adelaide substitute Stefan Colakovski in the 89th.

Adelaide United put an emphatic exclamation point on the victory in the first minute of second-half stoppage time. Midfielder Luke Duzel completed the scoring, tapping in from close range to seal the 4-0 result. The final goal was assisted by Colakovski, one of two substitutes to record an assist alongside Lebib, while Phillis also registered an assist earlier in the match.

The lopsided scoreline defied the pregame analytics from Interstat. The organization’s game simulator had projected a much tighter 2-1 win for Adelaide United, while its ELO rating system gave the home side an 83.8 percent probability of victory. Adelaide’s performance rendered those figures conservative, as they controlled proceedings in all phases.

The victory provides immediate momentum for Adelaide United under the lights at Coopers Stadium, while Perth Glory is left to search for answers after a opening-night display that offered little in attack and was repeatedly punished defensively. Both teams will look to build on these initial results as the A-League season continues.