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The top six teams of the regular season meet in matches as shown in home
and away legs. Matches marked '1', '2' and '3' are single elimination
games, winner of Match 3 is crowned Champion of the 1996-97 season.
Sydney Utd v Brisbane -----------winner-----------------------3___Grand Final
\____loser________________ /
\2__winner___/
/
Ad City v Marconi -------winner___ /
\1___winner__/
Sth Melb v Melb Knights __winner__/
Grand Final Match, winner becomes champion
Played (25/5/1997) Suncorp Stadium
Referee : S Micallef, Crowd : 40446 |
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Brisbane Strikers
Clint Bolton, Glen Gwynne
(Matt Bell 88), Alan Hunter, Frank Farina (Reece Tollenaere 80),
Sean Cranney, Rod Brown, Danny Wright, Troy Cranney, Chay Hews
(Jeremy Harris 79), Kasey Wehrman, Craig Williams
Goals : Farina 47, Brown 69 |
2 |
- |
0 |
Sydney United
Zeljko Kalac, Robert Trajkovski
(Jason Culina 63), Velimir Kupresak, Mark Babic, Richard Plesa,
Kresimir Marusic, Ante Moric, Ante Milicic, Aytek Genc, David Zdrilic,
Paul Bilokapic (Mark Rudan 81) |
| A record crowd, a popular win and beautiful weather. The
capacity crowd was barely into their seats when a Chay Hews shot at goal
inside the first minute had them out of their seats. Kalac clawing the
ball around the post for the corner to prevent any fairytale beginnings.
The first half as a whole was very defensive, that shot by Hews Brisbanes
only chance of note and Bolton was barely troubled by Sydney United though
he did help his cause by catching all the high balls in the area confidently.
Brisbane were also well serves by Man-of-the-Match winner Alan Hunter in
defence. The bumpy pitch (a rugby league game had been played there on
Friday night) played a part in the opening goal when an awkward bounce
eluded Mark Babic and came to the tightly marked Farina who managed to
poke the ball goalwards, successfully passing Kalac. Once that goal went
in Brisbane played more attack and Sydney managed to do a little better
themselves. In an attempt to change the game the Sydney coach brought on
his son, making the 16-year-old the youngest to play in a grand final.
Then as United and Kupresak pushed forward in attack the ball was lost
and Sean Cranney was sent flying down the left flank and in front of goal
his brother and Rod Brown outnumbered the sole defender. The low cross
found Brown who sidefooted past a hopelessly stranded Kalac. The rest of
the game was now a formality before the celebrations began. |
| Match report by David Marshall |
|
Preliminary Final, loser eliminated, winner into
Grand Final
Played (18/5/1997) Parramatta Stadium
Referee : B Hugo, Crowd : 8059 |
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Sydney United
Zeljko Kalac, Velimir Kupresak,
Robert Enes, Richard Plesa, Robert Trajkovski, Jason Culina,
Paul Bilokapic, Ante Moric, Ante Milicic, Kresimir Marusic, David Zdrilic
Goal : Milicic 68 |
1 |
- |
0 |
South Melbourne
Jason Petkovic, Con Blatsis,
Fausto DeAmicis, Nick Orlic, Steve Panopoulos, Bill Damianos,
David Clarkson, Steve Iosifidis (Jason Polak 71), Vaughan Coveny
(Ivan Kelic 75), Paul Trimboli, Michael Curcija |
| So it is that the top two teams of the regular season
playoff against one another for the championship next week. My sense
of footballing justice says that Sydney should be this seasons champion
but oddly enough I want the Bananabenders to win. On to this game.
In the first half South Melbourne were the more attacking side, eventhough
Sydney hit the bar, and if Coveny hadn't been ruled offside (and replays
show he was onside) South Melbourne would have had the lead. Any Brisbane
fans would have been pleased to see Enes and DeAmicis earn yellow cards
to rule them out of the final game. Lucky for Zdrilic he only got a stern
word from the ref for charging at the keeper, otherwise he too would
have been out. In the second half some very nice play to watch from both
sides but it was the set play which brought the goal. A break led to a
corner as Milicic's attempted cross was blocked. Marusic took the corner
finding the head of the diving Zdrilic at the near post. However the
glancing header went across goal until, that is, Milicic volleyed it into
the net at the far post. Infact Marusic was, to me, the difference between
the sides this day. He held posession, put people into gaps, passed
precisely and even defended on a few occasions. On the whole Souths put
in a better team performance but after the goal desperation got the better
of them and they failed to make the chances they got stick. Again the match
made the news for the wrong reasons when a combination of flares, a pitch
invasion and ill-feeling between Greek and Croatian morons led to Police
being assaulted and threats of expulsion for next season by the governing
body and headlines in news services as far afield as the BBC. |
| Post-Match report by (name withheld by request) |
|
Minor Semi-Final, loser eliminated, winner into
Preliminary Final
Played (11/5/1997) Olympic Park
Referee : S Micallef, Crowd : 6500 |
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South MelbourneASDET
Michael Petkovic, Con Blatsis,
Nick Orlic, Steve Panopoulos (Jason Polak 85), Vaughan Coveny, Paul
Trimboli, Steve Iosifidis, Bill Damianos, David Clarkson, Michael Curcija
(Ivan Kelic 68), Fausto DeAmicis
Goal : Blatsis 91 |
1 |
- |
0 |
Adelaide CityASDET
Jason Petkovic, Bradley Armour,
Mark Yates, Milan Ivanovic, Alex Tobin, Bradley Hassell, Dino Mennillo,
John Gibson, Michael Brooks (Travis Dodd 75), Kosta Salapasidis
(Michael Musitano 46), Nick Sabljak |
| The previous week Adelaide pulled off a win in sudden
death extra time, this week they suffered at the hands of this system
merely seconds into extra time. The previous 90 minutes wasn't exactly
brimming with goalmouth action, a few chances here and there to both sides.
Then roughly 15 seconds into extra time Polak's run down the right
was ended by a Sabljak tackle which resulted in a Damianos free kick
and Con Blatsis timed his run and jump better than anyone else though
some of the blame must be borne by Jason Petkovic who neither stayed on
his line nor made enough effort to get to the ball first. Also a special
mention to Milan Ivanovic, ol' Vlad copped his second yellow card of the
series in this game and then played a swashbuckling game knowing that
he was suspended for the next game anyway, the man's a legend. |
| Match report by David Arnold |
|
Major Semi-Final, loser into Preliminary Final,
winner into Grand Final
1st leg Played (3/5/1997) Suncorp Stadium
Referee : E Lennie, Crowd : 14666 |
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Brisbane Strikers
Clint Bolton, Alan Hunter,
Frank Farina, Troy Cranney, Sean Cranney, Rod Brown, Danny Wright,
Wayne Knipe (Gary Phillips 45), Kasey Wehrman (Chay Hews 82), Craig
Williams, Nick Meredith
Goal : S Cranney 62 |
1 |
- |
0 |
Sydney United
John Perosh, Robert Trajkovski,
Velimir Kupresak, Mark Babic, Robert Enes, Kresimir Marusic (Damir
Cvetko 82), Ante Moric, Ante Milicic, Aytek Genc (Jacob Burns 45),
David Zdrilic, Paul Bilokapic |
| The winner of the tie will host the grand final and Brisbane
are a real pain in the arse to beat at home, this win has Brisbane looking
good for hosting. The match itself, if anything, slightly favoured Sydney
in terms of play, certainly in the first half. Both goalkeepers played
very well, Bolton especially pulling off some exceptional saves. The
second half saw a redoubling of Brisbane's effort to get that vital home
win and finally they did. After an hour or so of play Alan Hunter won a
ball in midfield and sent Troy Cranney down the left sideline. Cranney
passed to Meredith who was on a parallel course and took the ball to the
goalline before cutting the ball back to Sean Cranney who sidefooted the
ball insidethe far post. Neat. Though on the night Marusic, Sydney's chief
playmaker, was subdued his injury late in the game may not only have cost
Sydney in this game but perhaps the next also. |
| Match report by David Marshall |
| Match report by Mick Kugelman |
|
2nd leg Played (11/5/1997) Parramatta Stadium
Referee : E Brazzale, Crowd : 7127 |
|---|
Sydney United
Zeljko Kalac, Mark Babic,
Robert Enes, Velimir Kupresak, Robert Trajkovski, Jason Culina
(John Didulica 75), Paul Bilokapic, Ante Moric, David Zdrilic,
Kresimir Marusic (Damir Cvetko 46), Ante Milicic
Goals : Culina 25, Marusic 35 |
2 |
- |
1 |
Brisbane Strikers
Clint Bolton, Glen Gwynne,
Craig Williams, Alan Hunter, Sean Cranney, Kasey Wehrman
(Andrew Brayshaw 46), Gary Phillips (Matt Bell 58), Nick Meredith
(Chay Hews 38), Troy Cranney, Rod Brown, Wayne Knipe
Goal : Knipe 77 |
| Quite a game really. Sydney United pretty much owned
the first half and should have walked the match home. The thing is
they actually *did* try to walk it home. Coach Branko Culina denied
he instructed his team to sit on their lead but that's what they did.
A Milicic header was parried into the path of Culina who sidefooted
past Bolton for the opening goal and when Marusic masterfully took a
free kick from just outside the box and scored Sydney looked home and
hosed. The kick was taken pretty much in front of goal and Bolton had
set the wall and as the kick was taken he barely moved to the open side
before he realised the ball was looping over the wall and heading the
other way. The end effect was an unmoving Bolton and a suitably pleased
Marusic. I'm all for fasttracking Marusic's citizenship so that we can
plonk him into the World Cup team. Sadly for United he was replaced,
suffering from injury, and then granted Brisbane a glut of possession
and they gleefully went about finding an away goal. Nick Meredith
suffered a knee injury but thankfully the Cranney boys were playing well
and it was Chay Hews who threaded a ball to one Cranney on the byline
and the latter squared the ball past Kalac to the other Cranney whose
mis-hit was desperately hooked off the line by Babic but Knipe blasted the
ball into the net. The away goal enough for Brisbane to host the
Grand Final. |
| Match report by David Borella |
|
Elimination Final, loser eliminated, winner
into Minor Semi-Final
1st leg Played (26/4/1997) Marconi Stadium
Referee : S Micallef, Crowd : 7309 |
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Marconi-Fairfield
Bob Catlin, Paul Souris,
Matthew Bingley (Robert Stanton 86), Dominic Longo (Aaron Holst 38),
Andrew Harper, Craig Foster, Brad Maloney, Vlado Zoric, Luke Casserly,
Sean Babic, Francis Awaritefe (Mark Robertson 51)
Goals : Foster 17, Babic 67, Harper 72 |
3 |
- |
0 |
Adelaide City
Jason Petkovic, Mark Yates, Alex
Tobin (Angelo Costanzo 38), Milan Ivanovic, Bradley Armour (sent off 84),
Kosta Slapasidis (Michael Musitano 70), John Gibson, Brad Hassell,
Mark Brazzale, Michael Brooks, Dino Mennillo |
| New father Craig Foster began what was a brilliant night
for Marconi against his former club when a long ball forward was well
held up by Awaritefe and he then rolled the ball into Fosters path for his
run down the centre. The shot from Foster was deflected by Petkovic but
there wasn't enough behind it to stop it from going into the net. Costanzo
came on, for a groin injured Tobin, complete with protective goggles and
the defence was thereby weakened. After halftime a corner was poorly
cleared by Adelaide and fell to Foster who let go with a long range effort
through a crowded area which Petkovic pushed back out but Babic was first
to react and rolled the ball into goal ahead of the Adelaide defenders
trying to stop him. Marconi scored a third when a booking of Armour
gave Marconi a free kick which was skilfully dribbled down the left by
Robertson and the cross found an unmarked Harper at the edge of the
6 yard box and not even Harps could miss that one. The Adelaide defenders
seemed more concerned with Babic at the near post. To end Adelaide's
misery Armour was booked again, after his foul on Zoric he pulled off
a really effective trip on Maloney, and was sent off. It had been coming.
|
| Match report by Chris Dunkerley |
|
2nd leg Played (4/5/1997) Norwood Oval
Referee : G Connolly, Crowd : 3506 |
|---|
Adelaide CityASDET
Jason Petkovic, Mark Yates,
Milan Ivanovic, Alex Tobin, Angelo Costanzo, Brad Hassell, Dino Mennillo
(Mark Brazzale 94), John Gibson, Michael Brooks (Michael Musitano 86),
Kosta Salapasidis (Travis Dodd 71), Nick Sabljak
Goals : Mennillo 35, Harper 36og, Brooks 48, Musitano 95 |
4 |
- |
0 |
Marconi-FairfieldASDET
Bob Catlin, Matthew Bingley
(Eric Hristodoulou 87), Andrew Harper, Craig Foster, Brad Maloney,
Aaron Holst, Mark Robertson, Sean Babic, Francis Awaritefe
(Darren McDonald 90), Paul Souris, Vlado Zoric (Robert Stanton 46) |
| A lesson in how to lose the unloseable tie. With Hindmarsh
under reconstruction Adelaide had to play at Norwood Oval which is more
of an Australian Rules Football ground. Adelaide pressed Marconi hard,
they had to, and had a load of shots at goal before Dino Mennillo finally
made one count after receiving a pass from Ivanovic who spotted the
unmarked player. Marconi got even more jittery after a corner travelled
all the way across the goalface unheeded and Alex Tobin "let's try
that again" sent the ball back where Harper tried to make up for the
now out of position Catlin but failed to head the ball high enough to clear
the crossbar. After halftime another corner brought Adelaide level on
aggregate when a Tobin header was cleared off the line but Brooks followed
up and scored. (There is some doubt as to whether the ball crossed the
line from Tobin's header..TV replays suggest it didn't). Despite efforts
from both sides to decide the matter in 90 minutes the tie was level at
full time and Sudden Death extra time was played. Sean Babic had a one
on one with Petkovic for Marconi to win after all but Musitano made more
of his chance, again from a corner, heading in at the far post. |
| Match report by Lance Librandi |
|
Elimination Final, loser eliminated, winner
into Minor Semi-Final
1st leg Played (27/4/1997) Somer st. Stadium
Referee : B Hugo, Crowd : 5326 |
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Melbourne Knights
Joe Didulica, Dragi Nastevski,
David Cervinski, Zoran Markovski, Andrew Marth, Nick Tasevski, Ice
Kutlesovski, Tom Pondeljak, Ante Kovacevic, Ivan Duzel (Ante Deak 57),
Adrian Cervinski
Goal : A Cervinski 82 |
1 |
- |
4 |
South Melbourne
Michael Petkovic, Con Blatsis,
Jason Polak, Steve Panopoulos, Vaughan Coveny, Paul Trimboli, Steve
Iosifidis, Bill Damianos (Mike Petersen 88), David Clarkson,
Michael Curcija (Ivan Kelic 77), Fausto DeAmicis
Goals : Curcija 47, Coveny 52, Panopoulos 60pk, Trimboli 89 |
I got an E-Mail from Ante Kovacevic, and accidentally
deleted it, so Ante, if you're reading this, please mail me again.
A goalless first half reflected the tight nature of these Melbourne
derbies, the Knights with an edge in the number of useful chances but
Souths dangerous too. After the break South Melbourne hit the front with
an extremely well taken shot from outside the area by Curcija to elude
the flying Didulica. The element of surprise you know, but there were
precious few defenders in sight who might have stopped the shot being
taken. The second goal came minutes later, just as the Knights were
building up with a nice move the ball was intercepted by Blatsis who
ran half the length of the field and played the ball to Coveny who had
peeled off to the left. Coveny's shot clipped off the keepers shin as
he tried to spread himself but the goal was scored regardless much to
the delight of the away support. Dragi Nastevski had tried to make up
for a loose defensive header by a teammate falling to Coveny after an hour
of play, sadly for the Knights he did it by launching himself into
Coveny's back inside the box. It was a stupid thing to do since Coveny
didn't really look like controlling the ball in any hurry but Panopoulos
scored from the spot. Keeper and shooter both going to their respective
left. Credit to the Knights for fighting the good fight and they seemed
to get a measure of reward when Tasevski and Pondeljak on the right
contrived to get a cross to the unmarked Cervinski at the far post. He
set himself for the shot back across the goal and found the net in emphatic
style. Just to remind the home fans about who was winning Souths scored
again. Damianos took a free kick near the sideline and a defensive error
gave Coveny a shot which was well saved by the keeper but he was helpless
to do anything about Trimboli's follow-up effort. |
| Match report by Damian |
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2nd leg Played (4/5/1997) Lakeside Stadium
Referee : M Breeze, Crowd : 5147 |
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South Melbourne
Michael Petkovic, Con Blatsis,
Jason Polak, Steve Panopoulos (Mike Petersen 72), Vaughan Coveny
(Ivan Kelic 51), Paul Trimboli, Steve Iosifidis, Bill Damianos,
David Clarkson (Nick Orlic 51), Michael Curcija, Fausto DeAmicis
Goals : Curcija 1, 25, Panopoulos 32 |
3 |
- |
0 |
Melbourne Knights
Joe Didulica, Dragi Nastevski,
Zoran Markovski (David Cervinski 63), Andrew Marth, Marjan Tasevski,
Ice Kutlesovski, Tom Pondeljak (Damian Vojtek 46), Ante Kovacevic,
Ivan Duzel (Ante Deak 46), Ransford Banini, Adrian Cervinski |
| Barely seconds into the match Paul Trimboli was rampaging
down the middle, he was checked by a defender but the ball fell to
Curcija whose first time shot found the net despite Didulica's best
efforts to prevent this. As the rain fell, dampening the crowd physically
and the Knights aspirations on another plane, Michael Curcija scored his
second in virtually the same manner as his goal in the first leg. Infact
I think he's been practising that one. Steve Panopoulos' shot on the turn
from a Trimboli cross ended it all, the second half still favouring
Souths but the conditions and some degree of complacency on both sides
did not lend themselves to a grandstand finish. The match made headlines
around the country due to the mindless violence of 'fans' who smashed
shopfronts near the stadium. One assumes they were disgruntled Knights
followers though there is some doubt about this. One thing is clear
and that is that they were socially and mentally retarded cowards. |
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