Australia v. OlyWhites, 12/7/08

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Brilliance From Brockie Can't Deny OlyRoos

by Jeremy Ruane

A brilliant individual goal from OlyWhites striker Jeremy Brockie wasn't quite enough to prevent the OlyRoos from scoring a 3-2 victory over their trans-tasman rivals at North Sydney Oval on 12 July, as both teams continued their respective build-ups for the forthcoming Olympic Men's Football Tournaments.

It was all Australia in the opening minutes, with Ruben Zadkovich setting out their intentions when scraping the crossbar with a close-range volley just 55 seconds into the contest.

Three minutes later, the shooter turned provider, breaking down the right before whipping in a low cross intended for Nikolai Topor-Stanley, arriving on the far post. Jacob Spoonley did just enough to parry the danger to safety, and looked on seconds later as a twenty-yard free-kick from Kristian Sarkies arced over the wall but over the crossbar also.

In the twelfth minute, only a timely tackle from well-performed right back Steven Old kept the OlyWhites on level terms. James Troisi sent Nikita Rukavytsya careering down the right, and he whipped in a cross for Sarkies, who was arriving at pace at the near post. Old's younger legs got him there quicker, however, the Kiwi captain's despairing lunge averting the danger.

It took seventeen minutes for the OlyWhites to muster their first attack of note. Man-mountain Sam Messam - “He's built like an All Black!” said one Australian scribe - powered down the right, shrugging off the attentions of Topor-Stanley en route.

Brockie was unable to capitalise on his pull-back, but came within a yard of opening the scoring four minutes later. Cole Peverley's free-kick was headed out to the striker, whose fifteen yarder fizzed narrowly past Tando Velaphi's right-hand post.

Straight from the goal-kick, Australia stormed down the right, Rukavytsya leading the charge. His shot beat Spoonley all ends up, but Michael Boxall - he'll be an All White defender for years to come, this lad - raced back to clear off the line by the post.

In the 26th minute, the OlyRoos opened the scoring from a set-piece. Sarkies' corner targeted Mark Milligan, who was thundering into the penalty area like a man on a mission. Boy, did Australia's captain deliver - a towering header which bulleted into the top far corner of the net, to the delight of the bulk of the 2312-strong crowd.

Whose silence was deafening ninety seconds later - you could hear a rendition of “It's all gone quiet over there” all the way from Phoenix-land, such was the sudden outbreak of peace at this picturesque 130-year-old ground.

Daniel Ellensohn flighted a free-kick into the goalmouth from the right, and Brockie nipped in between some ponderous defenders to direct a looping header over Velaphi and under the bar - 1-1.

The OlyWhites instantly had their tails up, and within five minutes, narrowly failed to take the lead. Hesitant Jade North defending saw Ellensohn swoop on the stranded fullback and scythe down the left before bringing Messam into play.

His progress was thwarted by the OlyRoos' best performer, Trent McClenahan, but the burly striker was able to re-engage Ellensohn's services. His header flew past the post.

Another goal appeared to be inevitable, such was the OlyWhites' response, and seven minutes before half-time, the net bulged once more. To the delight of the OlyRoos. New Zealand failed to deal with a long throw-in from Topor-Stanley, and the unmarked Sarkies produced a gorgeous volleyed finish, steering the ball beyond Spoonley's flailing fingertips.

There had been fierce and uncompromising tackles aplenty throughout the first half, with the OlyWhites the more frequent offenders. How referee Srebre Delovski kept his cards in his pocket throughout the entire spell defied logic, because there was a fair bit of naughty stuff taking place, make no mistake.

It threatened to boil over five minutes before the break when Milligan and Messam tangled once too often, and a gathering of the clans ensued. The principle offenders received a talking-to, but it wasn't hard to tell that the referee's patience was beginning to wear thin.

After Jack Pelter had thwarted Sarkies' free-kick and Stuart Musialik's volleyed effort to turn home the rebound, it snapped. A blunderbuss challenge from Brockie left an Australian defender writhing, and the offender having his name taken by the referee for the second time in the match, this time for the wrong reasons.

It wasn't long before Brockie was back in the referee's good books again, however. After Rukavytsya had warmed Spoonley's gloves with a shot on the turn, the OlyWhite striker secured possession on the right and weaved his way this way and that past four OlyRoos before bursting into the penalty and rounding the approaching Velaphi prior to slotting the ball home into a gaping yet welcoming net in the 52nd minute.

2-2, and how! A quite brilliant individual goal, one which, had it been scored a month from now at the Olympic Men's Football Tournament, would have seen the talent scouts hunting Brockie down as if he were Dr Richard Kimble in “The Fugitive”!

In terms of this contest, it set up an arm wrestle between two teams who are both on final approach to China in terms of their preparations, although the OlyWhites still have their over-age players to add to the mix - all bar David Carney was available for action for the OlyRoos in Sydney.

Spoonley reacted sharply on the hour as Pelter's attempted clearance threatened to break the deadlock, as, slowly but surely, the home team gained the upper hand once more. Milligan, leading by example, played the ball wide to McClenahan, whose delightful cross found Sarkies climbing highest on the far post. His header flashed wide.

Seconds later, substitute Mark Bridge brought Rukavytsya into play, but after checking his run, he wished he hadn't, his shot high, wide and far from handsome in the 68th minute.

close to making amends. Musialik produced a gorgeous angled, flighted ball which had Pelter and Boxall in all sorts of bother, such was its trajectory. The striker darted in behind them, but couldn't direct his effort on target.

Back came the OlyWhites, with what was an increasingly rare raid of consequence as far as they were concerned. This 74th minute effort saw Brockie pick out substitute Craig Henderson with a free-kick, but the newcomer's first attempt was thwarted by covering defenders.

His second cross was well grabbed by Velaphi, who launched an OlyRoos counter-attack which culminated in substitute Billy Celeski weighting a delicious pass into the path of Bridge. The advancing figure of Spoonley read the danger well, and thwarted the striker before he could capitalise.

Twelve minutes from time, the OlyRoos put themselves in front for the third time in the match. Sarkies curled in a free-kick, and as the OlyWhites claimed a handball offence, Milligan darted in between defenders and kept control of the ball in a tight spot before steering his angled shot across Spoonley and into the net.

The visitors soon found themselves on the back foot again, with McClenahan firing a twenty-five yarder past Spoonley's right-hand post. Then, after Velaphi had dealt well with an Ellensohn free-kick, the OlyRoos produced the best passing interchange of the game with the last attack of note five minutes from time.

Working the ball in and around the New Zealand penalty area, Troisi and substitute Matthew Simon - he showed some nice touches after coming on - combined neatly with Bridge and Sarkies to prise open the OlyWhites' rearguard, with the last-mentioned lashing a volley goalwards which Spoonley tipped over the top in splendid fashion, five minutes from time.

The visitors were unable to muster a third equaliser in the time which remained, meaning the OlyRoos head to China, Japan and Korea on their pre-Olympics tour on a winning note. Given they face Serbia, Argentina and the Ivory Coast in Games' action, it might be their last one for a while!

The OlyWhites, meanwhile, take on Central Coast Mariners on Tuesday in Wahroonga, prior to three matches in Jakarta as they prepare for games against the host nation, Brazil and Belgium in China.

On this showing, and with Simon Elliott, Chris Killen and Ryan Nelsen still to add to the mix, the prospects of reaching the Olympic quarter-finals look far more promising for Stu Jacobs' charges than they do for Graham Arnold's men, make no mistake.

OlyRoos: Velaphi; McClenahan, North (Leijer, 46), Spiranovic, Troisi (booked, 83); Zadkovich (Bridge, 63), Musialik (Celeski, 72), Milligan, Topor-Stanley, Sarkies; Rukavytsya (Simon, 79)

OlyWhites: Spoonley; Old (booked, 63), Boxall, Pelter, Hogg (Fowler, 82); Jenkins (Mathews, 90), Van Rooyen, Peverley (Tinkler, 59), Ellensohn; Brockie (booked, 49), Messam (Henderson, 53)

Referee: Srebre Delovski

OlyWhites