![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Training-04.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe stage is set for another massive Finals night, and according to Airton Andrioli and captain Craig Goodwin, the Reds are arriving in Auckland with belief, confidence and one clear intention. To win.<\/p>\n
After securing second place and earning a week off, United begin their Semi-Final campaign against Auckland FC on Saturday, carrying momentum from a ten-match unbeaten run into one of the biggest matches of the season.<\/p>\n
Standing at Go Media Stadium on the eve of the clash, Goodwin said the squad was embracing the occasion.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve put ourselves in a great position,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had that extra week to prepare, and we\u2019re excited to be here and looking for a performance tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the week off has allowed the Reds to refresh physically, Goodwin admitted Finals football ultimately comes down to mentality and execution.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes and no, it\u2019s an advantage,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt depends on how we approach it and the mentality of the group. But our mentality is in a really good spot.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Andrioli, the focus across the last fortnight has been simple \u2013 preparation, clarity and belief.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re extremely proud of what we\u2019ve achieved this year,\u201d Andrioli said. \u201cBut that\u2019s behind us now. It\u2019s about what we do next.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Reds know exactly what challenge awaits. Auckland have built their success around physicality, structure and dominance from set pieces, but Goodwin believes United\u2019s preparation has left nothing to chance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re a very good team,\u201d he said. \u201cWe know they\u2019re strong from set pieces and physically, but there\u2019s more to their game than that. We\u2019ve done the work and we\u2019ll be prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finals football, Goodwin says, is often decided by the smallest moments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe little things are what cost you in Finals,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cSwitching off, not tracking your man, small mistakes \u2013 you get punished for those things in Finals football.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite Auckland entering the Semi Finals after a tougher path through the Elimination Final, Andrioli insisted form and circumstances mean little once Finals begin.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t control those things,\u201d he said. \u201cFor us, it\u2019s about focusing completely on ourselves and making sure we execute our game plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
And while the Reds will be without suspended striker Luka Jovanovi\u0107 for the first leg, the coach remains confident in the depth of the squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe scored two important goals, but now he misses this game. But we focus on what\u2019s in front of us, and we have players ready to step in and do the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
One player expected to have a major role is Ryan White, fresh off claiming the Aurelio Vidmar Medal earlier this week.<\/p>\n
Andrioli praised the young midfielder\u2019s consistency, while also highlighting the growth of the entire group this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s done extremely well,\u201d Andrioli said. \u201cBut honestly, there are a few players who could have won that award. These young boys have grown a lot this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Semi Final First Leg also marks a rare opportunity for the Reds to train at the venue the day before the match \u2013 something Goodwin says helps sharpen the focus and anticipation around the occasion.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Training-03.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gives you that little taste of the vibe,\u201d he said. \u201cIt gives you those goosebump feelings to be ready to go tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
And while the Reds know the tie will ultimately be decided over two legs, neither Goodwin nor Andrioli are interested in approaching Saturday cautiously. United haven\u2019t travelled to Auckland to limit damage.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re here to win,\u201d Goodwin declared. \u201cWe believe we\u2019re a good side, we believe we can win here, and we have full confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
For supporters back home preparing to pack out Coopers Stadium next week, Andrioli delivered one final message.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to give everything,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to come away from here with a positive result and then play in front of our supporters. That\u2019s what we want to reward them with.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The stage is set for another massive Finals night, and according to Airton Andrioli and captain Craig Goodwin,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7332,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[341,395,957,958,376],"class_list":{"0":"post-7331","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-adelaide","8":"tag-a-league","9":"tag-adelaide","10":"tag-adelaide-united","11":"tag-featured","12":"tag-press-conference"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7331"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7331\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}