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Adelaide United have kicked off their <i>A-League Men </i>season with a 1-1 draw at Coopers Stadium against defending champions Central Coast.

Adelaide United and Central Coast have shared the points in a 1-1 A-League Mens draw at Coopers Stadium.

The Reds owned the first half on Saturday, scoring inside the opening quarter of an hour, and looked the more likely in the first 45 minutes to find the net again.

However, after the interval, it was the Mariners who were on top, equalising just after the hour and maintaining control for the remainder of the contest.

The home side made the perfect start, breaking the deadlock on 10 minutes through Luka Jovanovic following a scramble inside the six-yard box.

Austin Ayoubi whipped in a cross from the left towards the back post, which Zach Clough volleyed across the face of goal.

Jovanovic's first attempt was blocked by Mariners defender Brian Kaltak and the ball bobbled about inside the area, before the Reds' striker managed to eventually poke it over the line.

The Reds dominated the first half with Central Coast rarely getting a glimpse of goal.

Clough and Ayoubi were busy throughout while Stefan Mauk looked to get in behind the visitor's defence with late runs.

One particular run was honoured by Isaias with a sublime long ball from inside his own half. Mauk's first touch was perfect, but the second got away from him and the potential one-v-one was thwarted.

Two minutes before halftime Mauk got on the end of a lofted Ethan Alagich chip over the Mariners' defence, but his header looped just over the bar.

Central Coast were much improved after the restart and enjoyed more possession than the Reds but struggled to carve out any clear opportunities.

That was until the 62nd minute when halftime substitute Sabit Ngor equalised.

Kaltak sent forward a long ball from deep inside his own half which Ryan Edmondson chased down, brought under control and then shot from just inside the area.

Adelaide goalkeeper James Delianov was forced into a double save as he kept Edmondson's effort out and then the follow up from Vitor Feijao, but the second stop rolled into the path of Ngor who tapped in from a metre.

The two sides continued to trade blows for the remainder of the second half but failed to trouble either custodian.