Adelaide United to meet Central Coast in trial match

Adelaide United FC will have an opportunity to fine tune its game ahead of the club’s next AFC Champions League encounter with a competitive hit out against the Central Coast Mariners tomorrow afternoon at Hindmarsh Stadium.

Reds Coach Aurelio Vidmar arranged the trial game with new Mariners boss and good friend Graham Arnold, in order to aid United’s preparations for its third ACL match against Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Hindmarsh next Wednesday night (March 24).

After opening its campaign with two victories, Adelaide United sits three points clear at the top of Group H, and with a fortnight’s break between the win over Shandong Luneng in China and next fixture against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, a test against the Mariners will provide an ideal opportunity for the Reds to carry on their momentum.

“We’ll try and give as many players a run as we can,” Vidmar said.

“We really appreciate Graham (Arnold) and the Mariners coming over for the hit out, it will definitely be beneficial for us so we thank them for agreeing to the game and I’m sure they will provide us with excellent competition.”

Vidmar will be keen to give his key personnel time in the game, but it will also give the likes of Adam Griffiths and former Mariners defender Nigel Boogaard some valuable minutes.

Griffiths has played just 28 minutes in the opening two ACL matches, while Boogaard is yet to see any action having taken up a place on the bench on both occasions.

As well as providing United with valuable time on the pitch, the match will also give Arnold, who will remain an Assistant Coach with the Qantas Socceroos until after the upcoming World Cup, a chance to cast an eye over a number of his players ahead of next season.

The hit out against the Mariners will be closed to the public, however media are permitted.