Soccer: Upbeat Kingz chase victory to exorcise a nightmare

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Ante Milicic's return to fitness will bring no joy to a Football Kingz side chasing their first win in this season's Australian national league.

The Parramatta Power striker has recovered from a groin strain and will likely line up against the Kingz at Parramatta Stadium tonight.

After a scoreless draw first-up against South Melbourne two weeks ago in which Milicic, a former Sydney Olympic player, was injured, Parramatta had a week off.

Tonight's return to the stadium gives the Kingz a chance to exorcise memories of their worst nightmare.

On their last visit, in February, the Kingz were thumped 7-0 - their worst loss in four-and-a-bit NSL seasons. It also was Parramatta's biggest win.

Coincidently, both teams kicked off their NSL careers on October 1, 1999.

"We are expecting the Kingz to sit back and try to hit us on the break," Parramatta coach Nick Theodorakopoulos said.

"Most teams have been doing that against us at home. I don't think the Kingz will be any different."

Ken Dugdale and his team flew out yesterday afternoon after a morning training session.

Injuries have again forced changes.

Darren Young, Norwegian defender Espen Schjerven and Jeremy Christie are sidelined, and David Rayner and Mark Beldham have been left out.

Mark Burton and Michael Utting, who has a foot injury, remain on the injured list, but Chilean defender Mauro Donoso returns from injury after missing the opening matches.

Captain Chris Jackson said the mood in the Kingz camp remained upbeat, with a feeling that they should have come away with a win against Sydney United last week.

"We're a bit underdone," Jackson said. "Hopefully, we can get it right this week."

He agreed the Kingz needed to tighten up on defence.

Dugdale has tried a number of options in personnel and numbers. He would have been impressed, however, with goalkeeper Ross Nicholson's debut NSL outing against Sydney United when called in for Utting.

Protecting the goal is not going to be easy against a team who have players of the calibre of Milicic, Fernando Rech, Ahmad Elrich, Johnny Buonavoglia and goalkeeper Clint Bolton.

The match starts at 8.30pm (NZ time).

Kingz squad: Ross Nicholson, Mauro Donoso, Jason Rowley, Glen Collins, John Tambouras, Chris Jackson (capt), Aleksander Midtsian, Harry Ngata, Jeff Campbell, Campbell Banks, Kaz Townsend, Paul Seaman, Tallan Martin, Paul Harries, Brad Scott.

* A week after winning the Challenge Cup in Christchurch, United Soccer 1 must defend it against women's national league champions Soccer2 at Bay City Park.

The game will indicate which of the two northern teams will be the most serious contender in the six-round competition.

United, who had seven different players on the scoresheet last week, will find the going hard against the Terry McCahill-led Soccer2 defence.