Soccer: Classic strike gets Kingz on road

By Terry Maddaford

There was just one goal in it, but that classic strike was enough to get the Kingz soccer show on the road.

Only a day or so after pleading for patience from the faithful, Kingz coach Wynton Rufer was rewarded with a clinical 1-0 win over defending National Soccer League champions South Melbourne at North Harbour Stadium yesterday.

This was more, much more, than a mere points-gathering victory.

The first half, in particular, showed the Auckland-based franchise has the ability to battle the best. The only disappointment was their failure to capitalise fully on their utter dominance in those opening 45 minutes.

With the visitors struggling - they conceded nine corners to two, took 10 goalkicks to three and managed just one shot at goal compared to four for the home side - the Kingz should have done better, especially from set play, in that first spell.

From the outset Robbie Middleby, relishing the extra space afforded him by the pitch's added width, ran at the South Melbourne defence.

As early as the third minute he fired in a cross which goalkeeper Chris Jones just gathered. Five minutes later he was over the top with another half chance.

Middleby was unstoppable, picking out Fred de Jong with a great ball in the 26th minute with de Jong just wide. A minute earlier Ivan Vicelich was just over the goal from a set play.

The breakthrough came in the 35th minute.

De Jong passed to Middleby, a great through ball to Aaron Silva and the Chilean provided the classic finish with Jones sprawled helplessly.

The only blight was referee Mark Shields giving Silva a yellow card for racing to the sideline to acknowledge the crowd's appreciation for such a well-constructed goal. Shields was already offside with the locals for his needless bookings of de Jong and Jonathan Perry.

Nothing, though, was going to stand in the way of the rampant Kingz, even if they were without player-coach Wynton Rufer and injured goalkeeper Michael Utting.

Stand-in keeper Jason Batty was accomplished in the little he had to deal with. Defensively, Perry and Che Bunce took time to settle but in Vicelich they had the game's outstanding performer. As well as playing solidly at left back, Vicelich found time, especially in the second spell, to race back to provide a couple of crucial goal-saving tackles.

Down but not out, the Ericsson Cup champions came out fighting after the break.

Fausto De Amicis was booked within minutes. On the hour Robert Liparoti was sent, and booed, off for a nasty over-the-ball tackle on Kingz captain Harry Ngata. In the end, after two more South Melbourne players including All Whites striker Vaughan Coveny had been booked, the Kingz happily took the points.

Rufer, ecstatic with the victory, was quickly back to earth.

"There is no time to rest and reflect," said Rufer. "We are away to Australia again on Thursday to play Newcastle on Friday. That will be hard."

Welcome to the world of professional football.