Soccer: Kingz not disgraced against Chileans

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The Football Kingz could take some heart in holding the Olympic-bound Chilean soccer team to 0-1 in Auckland last night.

While the match never threatened to be a real ding-dong international, there was enough patterned football to suggest that both teams took some benefit from a game played in perfect conditions at Ericsson Stadium.

It was not until the 72nd minute that Chile sneaked ahead and they deservedly held on to win.

After an initial show of strength and a couple of half-hearted shots, including a header from the multi-million-dollar maestro Ivan Zamorano, the game had a distinctly exhibition look about it.

There were few tackles in anger and only a handful of shots.

For all that though, there was plenty to like in the way the Kingz approached such a game.

As ever, there was the patterned play so characteristic of the Rufer coaching manual.

The home side were able to retain possession for long periods before releasing strikers Aaron Silva and, until his early replacement, Paul Urlovic.

Aaran Lines, on the comeback after a long injury layoff, showed that he is not far short of his best as he combined well with midfield general Harry Ngata in providing the link with the frontrunners.

Zamarano's early header straight into the hands of goalkeeper Chris Marsh - called in to replace injured Argentine Julio Cuello - was one of only of a handful of chances the visitors managed.

The Kingz' defence was rarely under pressure.

Anything the Chileans did conjure was well handled by Chris Jackson and Australians Levent Osman and Michael Cartwright, with Osman giving Zamarano little room.

Lines came close to giving the Football Kingz a surprise early lead when he chipped towards an empty Chilean goal only to see the defence scramble back to clear safely.

Rodrigo Tello continued the early pressure, manufacturing a shot out of nothing but it went wide.

Silva gathered a long Marsh free-kick, turned but chipped his attempt just over the bar. Then a minute before the break Hector Tapia sent Francisco Arrue away but his effort, too, was over the top.

The second half provided more of the same, with a handful of half-chances, most created by Chile. Zamorano had a despairing dive after 59 minutes, but pushed his effort wide, while David Pizzaro had perhaps the best chance with a long range free-kick which Marsh did well to tip to safety.

The deadlock was eventually broken 18 minutes from time when Patricio Ormazabal charged on to a defence-splitting ball and thundered a first-time shot into the Kingz goal.

Taking the opportunity to give as many players as possible some game time, the Kingz used half-a-dozen substitutes, including player-coach Wynton Rufer, but even those fresh legs rarely threatened to snatch a goal back.

It was, nevertheless, a good workout for both teams and an encouraging lead-in to the new NSL season for the Kingz.