Adelaide United has lost 1-0 to Melbourne City in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly at Coopers Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
Jamie Maclaren’s header on 15 minutes proved the difference in the relatively even affair.
Kristian Opseth also made his unofficial debut, playing the final 30 minutes and even struck the crossbar via an expertly taken free-kick.
The Reds now have a week to continue working ahead of their FFA Cup Round of 16 clash with Olympic FC.
As it happened:
AUFC Starting XI: Marguš; Strain, Marrone, Jakobsen, Kitto; Konstandopoulos, Lia, McGree; Maria, Toure, Halloran.
10’ | Nathan Konstandopoulos drags his left-footed shot wide from the edge of the box.
11’ | Craig Noone’s low cross finds Jamie Maclaren but his first-time shot is well wide of the target.
15’ | GOAL: Daniel Marguš’ clearance falls straight to Javier Cabrera and his cross finds Maclaren who steers his header into the bottom corner.
24’ | Cabrera shoots from 25-yards out from the right, but blazes his shot over the bar.
28’ | Ryan Kitto and Michaël Maria combine with a pair of one-twos down the left flank before Al Hassan Toure receives the ball and performs a stepover to evade his marker before shooting over the bar.
37’ | Michael Jakobsen’s header at full-stretch from Konstandopoulos’ corner fails to trouble Bouzanis in goal.
46′ | Gertjan Verbeek makes six changes at the break with Jordan Elsey, Mirko Boland, Nikola Mileusnić, Pacifique Niyongabire, George Blackwood, and goalkeeper Dakota Ochsenham substituted on.
55’ | A short corner is taken and Noone whips his cross into the box which is headed over by Curtis Good.
66’ | Defensive error leads to Adrian Luna chipping the ball from the edge of the box but his audacious attempt sails over the bar.
77’ | Moudi Najjar is played through and his attempted lob over the onrushing keeper goes astray.
81’ | Kristian Opseth is denied by the crossbar from a wonderful free-kick which beats Dean Bouzanis.
Match details:
Wednesday, 14 August 2019
Pre-season Friendly
Adelaide United 0
Melbourne City 1 (Maclaren 15’)
Venue: Coopers Stadium
Adelaide United face Olympic FC in the Round of 16 of the FFA Cup 2019 on Wednesday, 21 August at Perry Park. Kick-off is at 7.00pm ACST. Live and Exclusive on Foxsports.com.au.
