Premiers move one step closer to a feat achieved just twice in club history

Adelaide City have the upper hand in their NPL SA semi-final after edging Playford City 2-1 away from home in the opening leg in South Australia.

The Premiers struck through Luis Lawrie-Lattanzio and Asad Kasumovic to establish an early two-goal advantage before Christos Pounendis pulled one back for Playford heading into the interval.

City held firm from there and will return home for the second leg with a slender advantage as they continue their pursuit of the Premiership-Championship double.

The other semi-final remains completely up for grabs after 10-man MetroStars and WT Birkalla produced a 2-2 draw.

Golden Boot winner George Blackwood put Birkalla ahead after 11 minutes, only for an own goal to level proceedings five minutes later.

The contest then swung dramatically when Hamish Gow was sent off in the 21st minute, leaving MetroStars to negotiate almost 70 minutes with 10 men.

Remarkably, it was the hosts who struck next. In-form Donatien Niyonkuru, fresh from his elimination-final double, continued his hot streak by putting MetroStars 2-1 ahead early in the second half.

Birkalla eventually made their numerical advantage count, with Dylan Klaassen-Thomas equalising with 11 minutes remaining to leave the tie delicately poised heading into the return leg.