Adelaide United has reached the Pre-Season Cup final by beating Queensland Roar 3-2 at Hindmarsh Stadium on Sunday.

The Reds took just 16 seconds to register the first score of the contest and led 2-1 at half-time.

Recruit Cassio then gave the South Australian side a decisive buffer with a curling free kick in the 64th minute.

Ante Milicic's 73rd-minute goal kept the Roar in the clash and ensured a tense finish as the visitors tested the Reds' defenders until the final whistle.

Adelaide has earned a home grand final and will play Perth Glory next Sunday.

Bruce Djite couldn't believe his luck when, after the kick off, he found space heading into the box.

He headed the bouncing ball over the out-of-position Roar keeper and the ball bobbled towards goal.

Liam Reddy recovered to flick the ball back into play but Djite was there to swoop and made no mistake with his second chance.

The Reds had plenty of the ball early but a midfield turnover from Cassio provided the Roar with a scoring opportunity in the 16th minute.

Reinaldo took control of the ball along the right hand wing crossed the ball to Simon Lynch who converted near the far post.

Unsuccessful shots from Chris Grossman and Reinaldo in the following minutes gave the Roar hope of pinching the lead but overall the half belonged to Adelaide.

Despite the score, United looked the better side with Bobby Petta collecting plenty of quality touches while Cassio's free kicks always looked dangerous.

The duo combined in injury time with a long cross from Cassio setting up a powerful Petta header from close range.

Queensland lifted its intensity in the second half and controlled possession for more than 10 minutes.

But Adelaide always looked dangerous when they took possession and when Nathan Burns was brought down in a crude tackle, the home side had earned another free kick and chance to score.

Cassio took the kick, curling the ball over the defensive wall and past the left hand of Reddy.

The game took another twist when Milicic waltzed through a lapse United defence and slotted the ball into the left hand corner of the net.

Milicic almost found the equaliser 10 minutes later but he didn't make the most of a Matthew McKay cross.

Queensland continued to attack but a shaky Adelaide defence managed to hold its opposition out.

Adelaide United coach Aurelio Vidmar said he was pleased with his side's structure in the first half its determination in the second 45 minutes.

"There was a fair bit of pressure on us so they've done really well to hold out," Vidmar said.

"We got ourselves in a great position at 3-1 and then we a had a lot of numbers at the back there and then somehow Ante Milicic got his foot on the end of it after a good ball and put it into a bottom corner."

"It's sometimes hard to fathom, when you've got a numbers in there, how someone can get a strike on goal but when they are chasing a fair period of that second half, sooner or later, something is going to have to fold and that's the way it was."

Adelaide United 3 Djite 1', Petta 45', Cassio 64'
Queensland Roar 2 Lynch 16', Milicic 73'
Crowd: 5221 @ Hindmarsh Stadium

Sportal