Soccer: Auckland sides a cut above

From the outset the two Auckland teams were seen as likely finalists.

Now they have reached the big show there will, no doubt, be plenty who will be quick to question the national body and point out a third northern franchise should have been included in the New Zealand Football Championship mix.

There will be no time for any such sentiment for the Auckland City and Waitakere United teams who lock horns at Kiwitea St tomorrow afternoon.

The million-dollar carrot being dangled in front of the teams will not mean much either. Winning, both camps will tell you, is everything.

City coach Allan Jones does have his sights further down the track, pointing out reaching the final is another step along the route to Tokyo - and the rich World Club Championships. Winning this one is the second-to-last step on that path.

He has the record to back such claims. Beaten only three times in 21 outings and with three good wins over Waitakere on their way to the final, Jones has played all the cards, more than often coming up trumps.

Jones and assistant Craig Alexander have used the two-week break between their last round-robin game and the final - a game likely to be played in front of 3000 - well.

With minimal injury concerns and no suspensions, the home side will be close to full strength although they will wait until match day before making a decision on influential defender Jonathon Perry, who injured a knee in the 4-2 win over Waitakere a month ago.

The strong City midfield led by Jonathan Smith, who came into the first game in mid-October off the substitute's bench but claimed a start in every game since, could be the key.

Smith, James Pritchett, Paul Seaman and Neil Sykes have provided a solid base along with a regular supply of good ball to strikers Grant Young and Paul Urlovic, who between them have scored 29 of City's 53 goals.

Eleven other players have chimed in with goals in a well-rounded team effort.

Waitakere have turned in too many Jekyll and Hyde efforts to rate as a really serious chance.

At best they have done well, but too often those games have been against teams lower on the table.

Against City they have come up empty. Their best effort against third-placed Waikato FC came in last Sunday's elimination final when they scored four.

"Auckland City have had the wood on us all season. It is up to us to turn it around," United coach Chris Milicich said. "Over the last couple of weeks we have got back to scoring goals and being tight at the back and playing a style of football that asks questions of the opposition.

"Is that good enough to beat Auckland City? That answer will be found out on Saturday. At least we have a chance to turn a good season into a great one."

United will be without captain Sean Douglas after the club's appeal against his suspension drew a blank.

In another controversial call, Milicich has again named top goal-grabber Keryn Jordan to play off the bench.

He pulled the same trick against Waikato with youngster Daniel Ellensohn responding well and scoring the opening goal.

Whether Milicich is game enough to make such a big call again remains to be seen. If he goes without Jordan in his starting line-up and the west Aucklanders come up a goal short there would, surely, be questions asked.

The ingredients for a classic match-up are there. Clearly the top teams - with the best for and against records to boot.