Adelaide United has recorded a 6-0 friendly win over local National Premier League side Adelaide City at Taperoo Reserve on Tuesday night.
Tidy finishes from Michaël Maria and Ben Halloran as well as a penalty from Riley McGree had the Reds up by three goals at half-time against a youthful City line-up.
Adelaide scored three goals during a five-minute period in the second stanza, thanks to Louis D’Arrigo, Nikola Mileusnić and an own goal to complete another solid pre-season outing.
Gertjan Verbeek made three changes from the side that defeated Olympic FC in the FFA Cup Round of 16 with Ryan Strain, Nathan Konstandopoulos, and George Blackwood all starting.
Adelaide’s intensity during the first 45 was evident, playing at a very-high tempo and working on ways to break down a City outfit largely camped inside their own half.
A younger United side had less control after the re-start due to a few sloppy passes, and City’s pressure. However, they still managed to find the net on another three occasions.
As it happened:
AUFC Starting XI: Izzo; Strain, Elsey, Jakobsen, Kitto; Lia, Konstandopoulos, McGree; Maria, Blackwood, Halloran
9’ | Jakobsen’s header from the corner strikes the upright.
11’ | GOAL! Maria plays a one-two with McGree, before setting himself with a beautiful first touch to unleash a powerful near-post strike which deflects off the underside of the crossbar and past the goalkeeper.
16’ | GOAL! McGree is brought down in the area and confidently converts the spot-kick, sending the ‘keeper the wrong way.
32’ | GOAL! Lia swings in an inviting left-footed cross which the City defence fail to adequately deal with and the ball falls to Halloran at the back post, who dispatches a clinical half volley into the far corner.
HT | Eleven changes are made at the break: Marguš; Marrone, Abetew, Nunn, Smith; D’Arrigo, Brook, King; Mileusnić, Opseth, Niyongabire
73’ | GOAL! D’Arrigo’s whipped cross from the right takes a wicked deflection off City defender Tomas Maricic and loops over the head of the Black and Whites custodian.
75’ | GOAL! A surging run from Lachlan Brooks ends in his pass finding D’Arrigo and he slides his finish home from close range.
78’ | GOAL! Mileusnić intercepts an errant square pass and duly punishes the mistake with a well-taken finish.
Match details:
Tuesday, 27 August 2019
Pre-season Friendly
Adelaide United 6 (Maria 11’, McGree (p) 16’, Halloran 32’, Maricic (OG) 73’, D’Arrigo 75’, Mileusnić 78’)
Adelaide City 0
Venue: Taperoo Reserve
