Adelaide United enjoyed a fantastic weekend at the One Agency Mildura A-League Festival of Sport, which took place on the October long weekend at the Mildura Sporting Precinct.
With over 2,600 fans attending across the weekend, the event was a success both on and off the field, with proceeds supporting the Mildura Base Public Hospital’s mobile skin cancer screening vehicle, due to launch in 2025.
The festivities kicked off on Friday with a Junior Soccer Clinic attended by 160 local kids, who were excited to learn from Adelaide United stars James Delianov, Luke Duzel, Panashe Madanha, Archie Goodwin, Isobel Hodgson, Nanako Sasaki, and Meleri Mullan.
The players not only helped local coaches run the clinic but also joined in the games and held a signing session afterward.
Later in the evening, coaches Adrian Stenta and Carl Veart spoke to local coaches in an intimate presentation, giving their insights into game preparation and tactical analysis.
Saturday’s action began with Adelaide United’s ALW team making history by playing their first preseason match against A-League opposition. In a dominant display, the team secured a 2-0 victory over Western United, with early second half goals from Abby Middleton and Miley Grigg.
It was a significant match for several players: Fiona Worts made her return debut, and new signing Abby Clarke donned the Red shirt for the first time. In an emotional moment, Chrissy Panagaris took the field after a long recovery from a serious ankle injury, marking her return to competitive football.
Head coach Adrian Stenta reflected on the match:
“We’re seeing increased comfort with the new system we’re trying to implement this season. It’s different from last year, so it’s great to see the players adapting.
We also had a chance to get new squad members familiar with our tactics and give them time to practice what we’ve been working on in training. Off the field, this was the first time we had the entire squad together, and it was great to bond and develop the team culture,” Stenta concluded.
Later in the day, the Adelaide United ALM team battled Brisbane Roar in a tight contest.
Despite falling behind to an Acosta free kick in the first half, United’s captain Ryan Kitto headed home a late equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw. The match saw plenty of chances for United in the first half, but the team was unable to capitalise, leading to a hard-fought draw.
Reflecting on the game, head coach Carl Veart said:
“It was a really good hit-out for the boys against A-League opposition. Overall, I’m happy with the performance. We created some great moments in the first half that we didn’t make the most of. If we had taken those chances, the game could have been very different. It’s something we’ll need to improve on as we look to take our game to the next level.”
The festival was a success, with the Club thanking Western United, Brisbane Roar, and the Mildura Base Public Hospital for their roles in making the weekend memorable. Adelaide United looks forward to returning to Mildura in 2025 for another exciting event.
