Adelaide United recorded a 7-0 win over West Torrens Birkalla in its third friendly of pre-season.
Five goals in eight minutes either side of half-time capped off a rampant spell of dominance by the Reds at Steve Woodcock Sports Centre, as nearly everything United touched turned to goals.
Kusini Yengi bagged a brace while Javi López, Bernardo, Yaya Dukuly, Louis D’Arrigo and Ben Halloran all contributed with a goal each.
It was certainly the sharpest Adelaide has looked this pre-season and although that was reflective in the result, there was simply more cohesion in their attacking patterns of play – goals or no goals.
Birkalla were quite competitive for the majority of the first-half and even had a couple of decent incursions going forward.
However, after a successful, yet equally long season – where the Eagles finished top of State League One to gain automatic promotion to the NPL and lost a grand final – it is fair to say you would be forgiven for thinking they maybe had one eye on a well-earned break. And to be honest who could blame them.
Carl Veart utilised his usual 4-3-3 system and named an identical line-up to the one that defeated Adelaide Olympic in the FFA Cup 2021 Round of 16 clash.
The boss would make four changes at half-time before a further seven on the hour mark.
After conceding a sixth goal on 49 minutes, the visitors also made wholesale changes.
Irrespective of the scoreline, it was an encouraging hit out by the Reds, who continue to build fitness ahead of the Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2021/22 season.
Adelaide’s attention will now turn to its next friendly match when it travels to face Brisbane Roar in Ipswich on Sunday.
Key moments
15’ | GOAL! López receives the ball on the edge of the box and his bouncing shot evades the outstretched ‘keeper.
41’ | GOAL! An incisive attacking move ends in Halloran feeding Yengi, who composes himself before dispatching a near-post finish.
43’ | GOAL! Bernardo scores his first goal for the Club, curling a shot into the far corner, after the ball falls to him from the half-cleared corner.
45’ | GOAL! The referee spots a handball and Yengi converts his penalty, slotting a low shot into the bottom left corner despite the goalkeeper guessing the correct way.
47’ | GOAL! Dukuly creates space for himself before shooting across the goalkeeper and sees his attempt nestle in the bottom corner.
49’ | GOAL! The corner is only partially cleared and the high ball falls kindly for D’Arrigo, who times his connection to perfection and unleash a textbook volley fly into the net.
59’ | GOAL! Dukuly squares a ball across the face of goal for Halloran for an easy tap-in.
Starting XI: 1.Delianov (gk) 45’; 21.López 60’, 23.Tratt 45’, 3.Timotheou 45’, 27.Cavallo 45’; 10.Isaías 60’, 6.D’Arrigo 60’, 26.Halloran (c) 60’; 31.Bernardo 60’, 9.Yengi 60’, 7.Kitto 60’
Substitutes: 33.Ochsenham (gk) 45’; 44.Mollas 30’, 4.Ansell 45’, 22.Jakobsen 45’, 42.Lynch 30’, 18.Caletti 30’, 55.Alagich 30′, 37.Yull 30’, 17.Toure 30’, 19.Dukuly 45’, 11.Irankunda 30’
