NSL Round 13

[King Italy]

Friday 4th

Wollongong Wolves vs Northern Spirit
Kingz FC vs Olympic Sharks

Saturday 5th

Perth Glory vs Brisbane Strikers
Marconi Stallions vs South Melbourne

Sunday 6th

Melbourne Knights vs Parramatta Power
Sydney United vs Adelaide City Force


Bye:
Newcastle United

[King Italy]

Results from Friday the 4th

Kingz 2 (Goutzioulis 52,Packer OG 58)
Olympic Sharks1 (Juric 57)

Wollongong 2 (Sekulovski 19,Young 83)
Northern Spirit 1(Cardozo 27)

[King Italy]

The Kingz have won their first home match of the season, upsetting the Olympic Sharks 2-1, while Naum Sekulovski has inspired defending champions Wollongong to victory over Northern Spirit by the same margin at WIN Stadium.

The Sharks beat league leaders Perth Glory a fortnight ago, but came nowhere near reaching the same level, as George Goutzioulis scored a brilliant long distance goal before Andrew Packer’s own goal handed all three points to the Kingz.

With the home team road testing the new defensive trio of Sean Douglas, midfielder Chris Jackson and striker John Markovski, neither team could score in the first half, with keeper Michael Theoklitos denying the Sharks on several occasions.

But just after the break in the 52nd minute, Goutzioulis unleashed a powerful strike from 25m out, stranding Olympic keeper Clint Bolton who was surprised by the long-range stunner.

Just five minutes were left on the clock when Ante Juric grabbed an expected equaliser, nodding home from close range, but the Kingz went ahead again just 60 seconds later when Packer turned a cross from midfielder Jonathan Perry into his own net.

"I watched a videotape twice yesterday, Olympic Sharks 3 Perth Glory 1," Kingz coach Kevin Fallon said. "I didn't dare show it to the players. Perth are top of the league and Olympic Sharks played them off the park."

"To get a win against what is on form ostensibly the best team in the league is just fantastic."

Fallon was full of praise for Theoklitis, who he said saved his team countless times, and also said Douglas and Harry Ngata’s return to the side had been decisive, while Olympic coach Gary Phillips skipped the media conference, immediately leaving the ground.

Teenager Sekulovski was the hero for the Wolves, scoring their first goal and setting up the other in the closing stages as Wollongong made it two wins in a row after a poor start to the season.

Sekulovski opened the scoring in the 19th minute when he ran onto a cross from Dino Mennillo, leaving his marker flat-footed as he slotted home.

Having blown a chance to score after 28 seconds, Pablo Cardozo made no mistake the second time around in the 27th minute, getting the equaliser when he was on hand to put away a deflected shot from Scott Thomas.

But with the scores still tied with just seven minutes on the clock, Sekulovski went on a 40m run before crossing it in for substitute Stuart Young to backheel the winner.

Mennillo provided plenty of headaches down the left flank with midfielder Paul Reid also among Wollongong’s better players, while Cardozo and midfielders Thomas and Andy McDermott were their team’s better players.

Wolves coach Ron Corry, who almost missed the game because of the New South Wales bushfires, said after the game that the performance of Sekulovski had delighted him.

"I was very lucky to get out this morning," Corry said. "The police told me to be at the turn-off at a certain time and I made sure I was there right on time."

"He's (Sekulovski) young and bombed two chances through a lack of composure, but he's got electrifying pace and when he used it, he was a real handful."

With their first two back-to-back wins of the season after downing South Melbourne 3-1 two weeks ago, Corry says the next two weeks against Marconi and Parramatta will be crucial to his team’s playoff chances.

"If we can win these two, we'll be right back in it. It's a matter of keeping our heads down and working hard," he said.

[King Italy]

I'd say these results are surprising. The struggling Kingz have beaten the title chasing Olympic, but only because of a lucky own goal, and the Wolves have beaten a title chasing Spirit who have been struggling lately. The Wolves have hit back lately though.

[FANTA]

did you hear cantona is going to sign as a guest player for melbourne knights ?

that'll be interesting ...