By Terry Maddaford
Central United's million dollar dream became just that when beaten 1-0 by Nadi in the semifinals of the Oceania club soccer championship in Nadi yesterday.
Unable to recover quickly enough after the battering they took in the 2-2 draw with Vanuatu's Tafea FC two days earlier, the New Zealand
champions simply ran out of steam.
They were unable to pull back the goal the home side - who had not played since Monday - scored in the 36th minute with a cracking long-range freekick.
Nadi will now play South Melbourne, 3-0 winners over AS Venus (Tahiti) in tomorrow's final with the winner off to the rich world club championships in Brazil in January.
"It was disappointing," said Central co-coach Ricki Herbert.
"We just did not recover from the game against Tafea. There were four or five players who, if we had been at home and playing a league game, would not have started today.
"Mark Elrick and Michael Ridenton needed painkillers and Greg Uhlmann had a couple of injections. But even allowing for that, we did okay. We probably created six or seven chances to their three but they scored and that's what counted."
Central, without suspended Paul Urlovic and with Fred de Jong still on baby-watch in Auckland, lacked real firepower up front with Elrick and Stephen Mack taking that responsibility.
Bruce Hill showed out in the Central midfield while Mathew Vuksich and Noah Hickey again played well while goalkeeper Ross Nicholson, still troubled by a sore mouth, had a quiet time.
"It was disappointing for a team who have scored 100 goals not to get one in the biggest game of the season," said Herbert.
"I'm sure if we had, we would have gone on to win. But in the end, injuries and a such a short recovery time cost us."
All Whites striker Vaughan Coveny got the first goal for South Melbourne in a brutal match with six Venus players booked and one sent off.
