Harsh decision holds soccer score down

Press, 14 October 1985, Page 25

Harsh decision holds soccer score down

By

DAVID LEGGAT

New Zealand rode over the disappointments of missing a penalty and having two goals disallowed to hammer out a 5-0 World Cup soccer win over a lamentably weak Chinese-Taipei team at Queen Elizabeth II Park on Saturday

It was the second time in eight days that the All Whites have scored ’ five times against the Chinese, and the result puts them on top of the Oceania qualifying group, with five points from three matches. Generally, it was a good quality performance from New Zealand. It scored goals, it played most of the match with a sense of purpose and conviction and the times play did become muddled and lost its direction could be put down to over-eagerness and a desire to be ambitious beyond its means in build-up play. The crowd of between 5500 to 6000 had a relatively new experience on Saturday—attending a soccer international which was certain to be a New Zealand victory. By the end, the spectators had the goals they came to see. But for a time, it seemed that the All Whites were in danger of letting a gilt-edged opportunity to dish out an international walloping slip by. That was partly their own fault, and partly that of the Australian referee, Mr Don-

aid Campbell. He was not severe enough on some rugged play by the Chinese, and failed to detect at least two penalty infringements. The All Whites defence had little to do, except for a brief spell towards the finish when it was twice exposed, due to the presence further upfield of the impressive sweeper and captain, Allan Boath. The best of the ChineseTaipei attackers, Tsai Hong Yee, skipped into a gaping hole in the New Zealand penalty area, but Richard Mulligan, who did well at right back, blocked the cross. Then Frank van Hattum was forced to get down smartly to save at Tsai’s feet. Wang Duen Jeng, the ' chunky striker, had the solitary clear chance for his team, eight minutes from the end. Racing onto a through pass, he went round the advancing van Hattum, but shot into the side netting from a difficult angle. All this happened in the last 14 minutes. By then the damage had been well and truly done at the other end. The All Whites began incisively. Duncan Cole, the pick of the midfield, lobbed a volley just over the crossbar within 30 seconds of the start, then rifled a fierce drive just wide a minute later. Grant Turner, the out-

standing New . Zealand player, then put the ball in the net,, capitalising on an appalling back pass. But Mr Campbell mysteriously ruled out the goal for an infringement on the goalkeeper, Chiou Jeng-Tsair. It seemed a harsh decision. All this happened in the first three minutes. After Steve Sumner who will want to quickly forget Saturday, October 12 sent a left-foot shot wide, the goal, about which there was a certain inevitability, finally came, in the eighteenth minute. Declan Edge, who continues to impress on the flanks, produced a lovely cross from the right, Chiou missed the all altogether and Boath sent a fine header into an empty net. Two minutes later, Colin Walker, who took some brutal punishment, was sent flying by Tsai, but Sumner pushed the resulting penalty shot the same way he had a week earlier against the same goal-keeper. This time, Tsai went the right way and palmed the shot away. Tsai just got his hands to a stab from close range by Turner before the explosive attacker got the first of his two goals, 12 minutes before the break. Receiving the ball from Mulligan, he turned away from a defender and fired his low shot expertly into the far

corner for a fine goal. Walker earned a second penalty soon after, when he was roughly shoved in the back and sent sprawling, but Mr Campbell failed to act. A superb Mulligan cross, a diving header by Edge and a fine save by Tsai combined to produce perhaps the best moments of the half. Ceri Evans headed the ball against the bar, and soon after clashed with Tsai as they scrambled for the ball. Several players joined in the scuffle, including Turner, who received a caution for his trouble. The disappointing Sumner, who has been below his best in this series, in spite of scoring three times in the first game against Chinese-Taipei at Auckland, was replaced at half-time by Kevin Hagan. The change did not greatly add to the All Whites performance, as Hagan struggled to make an impact. He did, however, play a part in the third goal. It came at a good time, 13 minutes into the second half, just as the match was threatening to become an exercise in meandering mediocrity. Hagan flicked the ball on for Walker to stab into the net from right in front. The next 15 minutes produced probably New Zealand’s best period of concerted activity in the match, as Turner and Cole took

charge of the midfield, and the All . Whites poured gt-a tack upon attack. Walker was chopped down from behind, picked himself up and scored from the penalty spot, sending Tsai the wrong way. Hagan should have joined the blond Gisborne striker on the scoresheet. The ball rolled clear to him, with the goalkeeper stranded in no man’s land. Hagan chipped the ball over Tsai, and just over the cross-bar. Ken Cresswell wasted a glorious opening, 15 minutes from the end, staring at an open goal, but pushing the ball wide. The irrepressible Turner showed how it should be done a minute later. Walker flicked on van Hattum’s long clearing kick, and Turner buried the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Hagan did score just before the end but Mr Campbell disallowed it. Turner slipped the ball to Hagan as he was. fouled. Mr Campbell played advantage, then called Hagan back for offside. With approximately three minutes of injury time to be played, he then blew his whistle for the last time just seconds after 45 minutes were up, thus ending one of the more inept refereeing performances New Zealand has had to endure at international level in recent years.