Adelaide United and Central Coast Mariners will augment their respective pre-season plans by adding several games in Indonesia in mid-September. The 2013 Menpora Cup will welcome the A-League clubs to compete against Indonesian clubs and the Indonesian U23s, according to an Adelaide press release.
Adelaide and Central Coast invited to September tournament in Indonesia
The A-League clubs will get at least three foreign tests just weeks before the 2013/14 season begins.
The A-League sides will be in separate groups in the eight-team tournament in which each team will play its group members in a round-robin set-up over five days. The winners of each group will compete in the final on September 20 in Malang.
Group A:
Adelaide United
Persib Bandung
Sriwijaya FC
Indonesia U23s
Group B:
Central Coast Mariners
Arema Indonesia
Persipura Jayapura
Persiba Bantul
Arema and Persipura Jayapura have each recently participated in the Asian Champions League with the latter losing the Adelaide in a qualifying playoff in February 2012. Former Reds forward Sergio van Dijk plays for Persib Bandung. Central Coast were originally scheduled to play against Wellington Phoenix on September 22 but canceled that pre-season friendly when the opportunity to travel to Indonesia came available.
UPDATE - Indonesia’s U23s have pulled out of the tournament and organizers are looking for a replacement team. The Vietnam U23s turned down the offer.
See More:
