Post by sydney_lad on Jun 2, 2005 14:50:02 GMT 10
Bling it on, says Corica
By DAVID LEWIS
June 2, 2005
SUPERSUB Steve Corica saved Sydney FC from tropical torture in Tahiti last night when he scored a stunning late winner against Auckland City's part-timers to keep the A-League glamour club on course for FIFA's Club World Championship in Japan.
The team dubbed Bling FC was in danger of losing its shine before the former Socceroo midfielder choose the perfect time to rattle home his first goal for coach Pierre Littbarsksi to secure a 3-2 win.
But not before Sydney – who hope to line up alongside Liverpool in December – were poked in the eye by a Pirae pineapple at the Stade Pater.
The tux-and-tails club looked more like Cabbage Patch dolls for much of the Oceania CWC qualifier against opposition who hadn't competed in a competitive match for several months and only made it to Tahiti on handouts.
"It would have been pretty embarrassing for us if we hadn't got the win," admitted the livewire Corica, the 73rd minute replacement for Ufuk Talay who is still awaiting for his first start five games into Littbarski's reign. "It was a really hard game. They took us right to the wire.
"It was always going to be tough because the Kiwis are always up for it against us, but we didn't play anywhere near as well as we can – and we nearly got punished.
"We never got our passing game going. I must admit if I was on their side I'd feel gutted right now because they came so close."
Littbarski, who must refocus is chastened troops for tomorrow evening's second group match against PNG's Sobou FC followed by Tahiti's Pirae on Sunday, was less than impressed.
And to further complicate matters he may have lost skipper Mark Rudan for the remainder of the tournament with a recurrence of a hamstring injury.
"We got home with the last kick of the game which is always exciting but we know we have to do better if we want to win the [eight-team] tournament," admitted Littbarski. "Auckland played a lot of long balls, were good in the air and we didn't do enough to stop them scoring twice.
"But this is certainly not a time to panic."
There was no sign of the angst to come when defender Alvin Ceccoli hit a piledriver past goalkeeper Ross Nicholson after half an hour.
But seven minutes later the already frazzling heat intensified for Sydney when Grant Young smashed home an unstoppable long-range volley after Paul Urlovic – an All Whites international – had piloted the ball into his path.
Sydney regained their composure and a game brimming with instances of inspiration saw another – this time midfielder Andrew Packer wafted past two defenders before dispatching a curling shot into the top corner.
Auckland – stoked up by traditional Trans-Tasman loathing – refused to submit and Johnathan Smith delivered a deep wound when he headed home the angled cross of substitute Reginald Davani after 77 minutes.
Cue Corica for his last-gasp moment of deliverance.
I wonder how they know about the whole bling thing.....maybe they've been reading our forums
By DAVID LEWIS
June 2, 2005
SUPERSUB Steve Corica saved Sydney FC from tropical torture in Tahiti last night when he scored a stunning late winner against Auckland City's part-timers to keep the A-League glamour club on course for FIFA's Club World Championship in Japan.
The team dubbed Bling FC was in danger of losing its shine before the former Socceroo midfielder choose the perfect time to rattle home his first goal for coach Pierre Littbarsksi to secure a 3-2 win.
But not before Sydney – who hope to line up alongside Liverpool in December – were poked in the eye by a Pirae pineapple at the Stade Pater.
The tux-and-tails club looked more like Cabbage Patch dolls for much of the Oceania CWC qualifier against opposition who hadn't competed in a competitive match for several months and only made it to Tahiti on handouts.
"It would have been pretty embarrassing for us if we hadn't got the win," admitted the livewire Corica, the 73rd minute replacement for Ufuk Talay who is still awaiting for his first start five games into Littbarski's reign. "It was a really hard game. They took us right to the wire.
"It was always going to be tough because the Kiwis are always up for it against us, but we didn't play anywhere near as well as we can – and we nearly got punished.
"We never got our passing game going. I must admit if I was on their side I'd feel gutted right now because they came so close."
Littbarski, who must refocus is chastened troops for tomorrow evening's second group match against PNG's Sobou FC followed by Tahiti's Pirae on Sunday, was less than impressed.
And to further complicate matters he may have lost skipper Mark Rudan for the remainder of the tournament with a recurrence of a hamstring injury.
"We got home with the last kick of the game which is always exciting but we know we have to do better if we want to win the [eight-team] tournament," admitted Littbarski. "Auckland played a lot of long balls, were good in the air and we didn't do enough to stop them scoring twice.
"But this is certainly not a time to panic."
There was no sign of the angst to come when defender Alvin Ceccoli hit a piledriver past goalkeeper Ross Nicholson after half an hour.
But seven minutes later the already frazzling heat intensified for Sydney when Grant Young smashed home an unstoppable long-range volley after Paul Urlovic – an All Whites international – had piloted the ball into his path.
Sydney regained their composure and a game brimming with instances of inspiration saw another – this time midfielder Andrew Packer wafted past two defenders before dispatching a curling shot into the top corner.
Auckland – stoked up by traditional Trans-Tasman loathing – refused to submit and Johnathan Smith delivered a deep wound when he headed home the angled cross of substitute Reginald Davani after 77 minutes.
Cue Corica for his last-gasp moment of deliverance.
I wonder how they know about the whole bling thing.....maybe they've been reading our forums
