Soccer: A knockout on the cards

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The Football Kingz are set to play at least 26 games this season, despite confirmation that Canberra Cosmos have been dumped from the National Soccer League.

By a vote of 8-5 in Sydney, the NSL commission backed Soccer Australia's decision to drop struggling Canberra from the 2001-2002 competition, which starts next Friday night.

The remaining 13 clubs - deterred to some extent by an estimated $A500,000 ($608,000) price tag - also rejected moves to add a third round to the league.

But there was strong support for a European-style knockout competition, which will also involve some leading state league sides.

It seems that if accepted, the knockout will involve teams playing some games midweek. The fixtures will be home and away. If needed, extra time and a penalty shootout will be used at the end of the second game to find a winner. That would guarantee every club at least two games in the competition.

The Football Kingz were scheduled to play Canberra, who finished 11th last season - six points and three places below the Kingz - at North Harbour Stadium on November 16 and in Canberra on February 22. Those dates will now be used as byes.

If the knockout does go ahead, the Kingz could look to play their first-round home leg at North Harbour or perhaps swap that for one of the NSL home games scheduled for Ericsson Stadium.

Canberra Cosmos officials, while unhappy with the decision, appear to have accepted their fate and are unlikely to pursue legal action.

Former Kingz midfielder Marcus Stergiopoulos is among the players affected. He is on a seven-day trial with Sydney United, but other Canberra players face a season on the sideline.