Adelaide United coach Carl Veart says Reds have earnt their place in A-League’s top 6

There is no doubt in Carl Veart’s mind that his Adelaide United team is worthy of a place in this season’s A-League finals series.

Adelaide United coach Carl Veart is adamant the Reds are deserving of their place in the A-League finals series despite having needed a Sydney FC meltdown to secure a top-six berth.

Having had the weekend bye, the Reds’ final game of the regular season was on April 26 when they drew 0-0 with Melbourne City at AAMI Park.

The point was enough to lift them into sixth spot ahead of the Sky Blues.

However, due to a superior goal difference, Sydney only needed a draw from one of its final two games, which were both played after the City-Adelaide draw.

With their finals destiny out of their hands, the Reds could only wait and hope that the Sky Blues lost both of their remaining games.

And Adelaide’s prayers were answered, with Sydney losing 1-0 to Western United and 5-1 to Melbourne City to remain stuck in seventh place on 37 points, one adrift of the Reds.

Despite his side having needed to ultimately rely on other results to confirm its finals place, Veart denied that luck had played a role in Adelaide securing sixth spot.

Carl Veart’s Adelaide United team will meet Western United in an A-League elimination final on Friday night. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

“We’re there because we deserve to be there,” Veart said on Monday.

“We were in the top six for most of the season and only spent two or three weeks outside of it, so it’s something that we’ve earned.”

The Reds were in first place on the ladder after round 15, but a severe form slump resulted in them tumbling down the table.

Adelaide secured only seven points from a possible 33 in its final 11 of games of the regular season.

However, Veart – whose Adelaide coaching tenure won’t extend beyond this season – is confident his team can find form in the playoffs, which begin on Friday night when the Reds take on Western United in an elimination finals clash at Ironbark Fields.

“We worked extremely hard and we know our best is good enough to beat any team in this competition,” he said.

The Reds’ most recent visit to Ironbark Fields was one to forget, with Western United cruising to a 3-0 win on February 23.

“They’re a very good team but the last time we played them we had five or six players out, so you can’t take too much from that game,” Veart said.

Luka Jovanovic is set to lead Adelaide United’s forward line on Friday night. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

While Adelaide will field a much stronger outfit on Friday night, the Reds will be without joint Golden Boot winner Archie Goodwin, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

It means that Australian under-20 representative striker Luka Jovanovic will lead the Reds’ forward line.

“Luka has to step up. He’s got the quality to do the job,” Veart said.

The departing Reds coach – whose expected replacement next season will be Adelaide assistant Airton Andrioli – said he wasn’t thinking about his future plans and was focused on Friday night’s task.

Originally published as Adelaide United coach Carl Veart says Reds have earnt their place in A-League’s top 6