Soccer: A worse fate waiting for trounced Kingz

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The resounding 1-6 loss to South Melbourne could prove even more costly for the Football Kingz than first feared.

Now out of the playoff race in the Australian National League, the Auckland-based Kingz also dropped a place to eighth.

They must win their last game against Sydney United on Sunday to hold that position and equal their first-season finish.

A loss in Sydney could send them as low as 11th on the table.

Adelaide City Force thrashed Canberra 6-0 to leap into seventh place, but with no chance of making the top six.

A 0-0 draw between Marconi Stallions and the Melbourne Knights effectively ended the playoff race.

Even if the Kingz had won on Wednesday night and then beat Sydney United, their goal difference would not have been enough to get them in.

While South Melbourne confirmed their place at the top of the table, the race for second was kept alive after Perth Glory's surprise 0-1 home loss to ninth-placed Parramatta.

Wollongong Wolves, 4-0 away winners over Northern Spirit, joined Perth on 58 points. Perth are second by one goal on goal difference.

Perth are away to Canberra and Wolves at home to Adelaide in Sunday's last round.