Soccer: Kingz plunge to heaviest loss in NSL

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Dreams of a fairytale ending for the Football Kingz' Australian National League season turned to a nightmare as they crashed 1-6 to a classy South Melbourne side in Auckland last night.

The Kingz were left to contemplate their biggest loss in two NSL seasons, in front of probably their biggest Auckland crowd at Ericsson Stadium, and to wonder if there is any footballing justice.

They have turned in worse efforts than they did last night, and won.

The Kingz scored first, dominated much of the play, had more shots on goal and more corners but were still handed a footballing lesson by a team who were deservedly acclaimed as minor premiership champions.

The first 45 minutes produced some of the better football of the season with home side very much part of that.

They competed tenaciously and showed the gap between the top and the middle of the table might not be as great as some suggest.

Jonathan Perry and Dennis Ibrahim had early chances before recalled Chilean Aaron Silva rewarded the home side and the exuberant 9000-plus fans with a 10th-minute goal. An Aaran Lines cross found Perry, who played the ball on to a South Melbourne defender and Silva pounced to score.

Michael Cartwright missed a chance to put the Kingz further ahead two minutes later and Perry was wide again before the visitors scored from an 18th-minute corner by Goran Lozanavski. It was flicked on by Patrick Kisnorbo to Con Boutsianis, who headed back to Vas Kalogeracos and he had an easy header into an unguarded goal.

Ten minutes later Kalogeracos had his second. Andy Vlahos played the ball through to Boutsianis who swept on to Kalogeracos who steered home from close range.

Silva had a chance to match Kalogeracos with a second first-half goal but just failed to provide the final touch after another great run and cross from Ibrahim.

That momentum continued in the second spell. Noah Hickey, on for Cartwright, added some spark and gave the faithful some hope with a couple of headers.

But cruelly, all those attacking endeavours came to nought and from one of their first second-half attacks, in the 67th minute, South Melbourne stretched their lead when Zeljkos Susa played the ball to Vlahos, who had his first attempt blocked by Julio Cuello but made no mistake with the second.

From the restart, Kingz substitute Wynton Rufer headed just wide from a Perry cross and minutes later Hickey missed from right in front.

That signalled the start of the South Melbourne blitz - three goals in 14 minutes.

Rufer and his troops must now head to away for Sunday's game against Sydney United contemplating a 2001-2002 season - with or without Rufer - and hope to win and go one better than last season's eighth placing.