Adelaide United beat Newcastle Jets in A-League comeback

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:19 am

Former Newcastle player Riley McGree has scored both goals for Adelaide United who have come from behind to beat the Jets 2-1 at McDonald Jones Stadium and earn their first points of the A-League season.

Just three days after downing Melbourne City 4-0 at home in the FFA Cup final, Adelaide trailed 1-0 at halftime in on Saturday's round-three game in Newcastle.

The Jets had five shots to one on target and had their reward in the 37th minute with a brilliant solo effort from Abdiel Arroyo off a long throw-in from Matt Millar.

With his back to goal, the Panamanian international chested the ball down and buried a left-foot volleyed strike on the turn.

Adelaide brought in Nikola Mileusnic to spark their attack in the second half and they looked more dangerous.

The Reds equalised in the 49th minute when McGree was on the spot to finish from close range off a cut-back from James Troisi.

McGree struck again in the 61st minute, this time beating Jets goalkeeper Glen Moss with a wind-assisted, swinging corner kick into the far top corner after earlier forcing the veteran to make a scrambling touch over the crossbar with a similar effort.

Newcastle thought they had levelled in the 69th minute via a Matt Ridenton strike, but the VAR correctly found a handball from Arroyo in the lead-up.

Adelaide had started their season with losses to Sydney FC and City, while Newcastle drew 1-1 at Central Coast last week in their opener.