KEY POINTS:
Chris Milicich quickly dismisses any suggestion that this afternoon's game between Waitakere United and Zhejiang Lvcheng is little more than a friendly kick around ahead of the big show.
United meet the team from the Hang Zhou province for the Ruishi Cup in their final hit-out before next Thursday's Fifa Club World Cup tie with Hyundai A-League champions Adelaide United, with Milicich using today's game to help him finalise his starting XI for the game in Tokyo.
"I already know in my own mind seven of the players who will start in Japan," said coach Milicich yesterday. "It is very unlikely Danny Hay and Jon Perry will play here as we can't risk them ahead of the Adelaide game."
Today's game follows a so-so effort against Canterbury United in a lack-lustre 1-1 draw in last Saturday's NZFC outing and a more encouraging 2-0 win over the Oceania All Stars on Tuesday.
"Against Canterbury we let ourselves down," said Milicich. "Nobody took the game by the scruff of the neck and dragged the rest with him. In the second half Canterbury had a go and should have won. Go back a couple of weeks before that and the Phoenix handed us another footballing lesson. We have to learn from games like that. You quickly realise at this level you have to be switched on defensively or you will get punished."
Milicich is unlikely to start Adriano Pimenta today but could give him and Benjamin Totori some game time. He is not dismissing them from his thinking ahead of Thursday's game.
"Adriano showed us at times on Saturday and more especially on Tuesday what he can do. My problem is that I have to ask myself whether our players are good enough to play with him, given what he brings to the game. I think he would be a star playing in a team like the Wellington Phoenix."
The Zhejiang Lvcheng team play in the Premier League of the All-China competition and have two players in the Chinese All Stars, including their goalkeeper.
