Solo goal gives Australia draw

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 60

Solo goal gives Australia draw

j From

GARY BIRKETT,

in Wellington !: I i

A brilliant) soft) goal by the substitute striker, Frank Farina, to earn Australia aj battling 1-1 draw with New Zealand at Athletic Park yesterday has virtually ensured that Australia will represent Oceania in the Soccer competition at the Seoul Olympics.

II The, goal was described by the Australian coach, Frank, Arok, as a “beautiful accident” and he w[as not far wrong! in his assessment.! New Zealand had led the match until the seventy-second minute, when ! Farina i chased j a 1 clearance by his captain, Charlie j Yankos, and slipped inside, the loose marking left back,: Duncan Cole. | I His [right foot volley left the goalkeeper; Clint Gosling, helpless and Farina was immediately buried beneath a pile: of Australian bodies. It [was a great strike! and means that Australia only needs I to i beat lowly China-Taipei at! Eden I Park, Auckland, .on Sunday to clinch a trip! to[ the Olympics. [ | i New Zealand had led! the match from the ! 10! minute mark [when MikeMcGarry converted a pen-)' alty and the! All Whites! coach, Kevin Fallon, y/as[ bitterly disappointed t[hat[ his side failed! to cling to; its slender lead. -’Tn[ the second half. I thought we would hang on. We were defending solidly but some loose marking and loose covering cost us a [win.” ! Mr! Fallon I graciously conceded that Australia was I the best all-round side ■ in the, qualifying series and deserved its place at Seoul. However; he was pleased with hi? ! i ['. I

players. “We[ tiave not limped out of) trie series and did • riot let New Zealand down today.! All the players fought very hard and it is worth 1 remembering that they have not beaten us at ho'meisince 1976.” I the biggest i losers! yesterday-were the Israeli players. They had combined to rout Taipei, 9-0, in the early match and, if New Zealand had beaten Australia, would have had a good chance of pipping : Australia j on goal difference had they! beaten New Zealand on Sunday, 1 [ The erithusiastic Israelis had cheerqd every good New [Zealand move and agonised) over every Aus_-i tralian attack from the time the; All 1 Whites took an early! lead; The ! penalty was awarded by [the referee, "George Santos, when Fred De Jong, in the side in place of the Christchurch ■ striker, John Hanson, had pounced on a loose back pass.! He was bundled off the ball by! Paul Wade and Mr Santos pointed to the penalty spot. McGarry made no mistake with his shot,[firing home into the bottom right hand corner with ’ [the keeper, [ Jeff Giver, going the wrong way. The match- was predictably physical and Mr Santos, who controlled the Violent Israel versus

Australia clash at Christchurch, again had a busy time. % ■ j " ! He blew for 25 free kicks in the first half and another 24 in the [second, • the final margin favouring Australia, 26-23„ [ ;; • ! New Zealand had little trouble holding its advanP tage in the first half [but it was a different story [in the second period.. [ j ) I Australia played | composed football and had several good chances. Wade nearly made up f[or [his earlier error but screwed a shot across the face of. goal and Alan Hunter headed , strongly from a corner only tb find ■ Gosling well positioned. [ New Zealand lost its captain, Malcolm Diin[ford, with a recurrence; of this hamstring strain after l62min and Cole went)to left back. Soon after Mr Arok replaced Jo[hn Kosmina with Farina aind his pace, combined with [that of his fellow substitute, Jim Patikas, proved valuable for Australia [on [the flanks. Hunter had a firm drive ! turned just around ' the' post by Gosling . before Farina produced his magic moment to tie the score. ! The last j 10 minutes proved a tense battle for [the Soccerrios as New Zealand pressed strongly ; but the closest ;it came [ was when McGarry lifted 'in. 1 !' )

a volley over the bar after good lead up work by De Jong, [ivho had a fine match for the home side. Tempers flared as the game j 'entered its final throes! [and Grant Turner twice squared!up to Oscar Crino and David Mitchell after strong challenges. Mr Santos was forced to. push the protagonists, apart and there was nd' repeat of the violence of. Queen Elizabeth II Park. In the early match Israel! took complete control bver ! China-Taipei ; after leading! 2-0, at half- i time. 1 [,- .! It scored early in the < second half! through- a' disputed penalty and from ! then on! the floodgates) opened.! The striker, Nir ! Alen, | bagged a hat-trick !as[ did trie substitute striker, Shalon Tikva. Its other [scorers were Ronny Rosenthal, Elijahu Cohen and lilri [ Malmilian (penalty). I! I I Chiria-Taipei's miserable afternoon was com : pounded when one of its defenders, Liu Yie Chang, [ was sent riff late in the match [for a high tackle on Cohen.

Remaining I matches:—New Zealand ■/ Israel; Australia v. China-Taipei. | ■ ;

1 I ' w D L F A Pt Aust 3 2 0 9. 4 8 Israel 3 1 1 16 3 7 N.Z. I 2 1 2,5 65 China--T 0 0 5 3 20 0