A second half Cassio penalty cancelled Victory striker Danny Allsopp’s successful header just before half time with neither side able to find a winner.

The match was set to be new United signing defender Sasa Ognenovski’s first hit out for the Reds, but he was injured in the warm up and as a precaution, he played no part in the game.

X-rays later revealed there was no serious damage and that he should be available for the first match of the 2008 AFC Champions League.

Similarly to the first trial, United took a while to settle with Victory the more purposeful in the opening 20 minutes.

The first half hour produced few goal scoring chances, the Reds best attempt coming from a long range Cassio missile that Melbourne keeper Michael Theoklitos managed to tip over the bar.

Reds keeper Eugene Galekovic was also required at the other end, scooping the ball away before it could cross the goal line after a scramble in the penalty area.

As United put their defence through its paces, late in the half the Reds manufactured their best move of the half, striker Dez Giraldi playing a neat one two with Diego but the former could not get the ball past the oncoming Theoklitos.

The missed opportunity would prove costly, when a minute later Melbourne midfielder Adrian Caceres put the ball in from the left for Allsopp, who got in front of the defence and headed past Galekovic from close range.

Isyan Erdogan for Richie Alagich was the only change made by United coach Aurelio Vidmar at half time, the Reds nearly striking shortly after the interval when Travis Dodd found Jason Spagnuolo with excellent delivery from the right but he put it wide of the post.

Fellow antagonists Kevin Muscat and Jonas Salley ensured the game, although just a trial, contained plenty of feeling with a couple of minor confrontations.

Substitute Bobby Petta forced a stop from substitute keeper Mitchell Langerak before Spagnuolo put the ball in from the right and Lucas Pantelis was impeded by Muscat in the penalty area, the referee subsequently pointing to the spot.

Cassio calmly converted the penalty and the Reds had an equaliser for their efforts.

Both teams brought on a number of young players as the more senior guys made way towards the end of the match, Fabian Barbiero and Matthew Mullen both brought on into attacking roles.

Both coaches would have been pleased with another solid hit out, Vidmar believing the match practice helps ahead of his team's first Champions League match against K-League champions the Pohang Steelers in Korea next Wednesday.

“I think it was a massive improvement from last week so I was really happy with the hit out and if you look at it results wise, 1-1 was probably a decent result for us,” Vidmar said.

“I know it was only a warm up game but we’re deadly serious about getting to the next round. If you see the attitude of the players, they didn’t hold back and that’s the sort of aggression we want.

"I was really pleased the fitness of the boys, we definitely had no problems running out the game so that is really encouraging.”

The Reds will have two more matches against Victory during the group stage of the AFC Champions League, but the United machine must now kick into gear with the Steelers only a week away.

United will play a final trial match against Super League club Para Hills on Thursday night before leaving for Pohang on Saturday.


Match Details

Adelaide United 1 (Cassio (pen))

Melbourne Victory 1 (Allsopp)

@ Hindmarsh Stadium