Soccer: Drought rings changes at Kingz

By TERRY MADDAFORD

A lack of goals in recent outings will almost certainly lead to changes in the Football Kingz' starting line-up for tonight's crucial National Soccer League clash with high-flying Sydney Olympic.

The Kingz go into the match at Ericsson Stadium - their first "home" outing in five weeks - just three places from the bottom of the table, but with assistant coach Shane Rufer adamant the season is far from a lost cause.

"We have to win eight or nine games in the second round to have any chance of making the top six," Rufer said. "The team has been playing well in the last five matches, but have not a lot to show for it.

"We should have won at Wollongong, and against South Melbourne we should have been two or three goals up.

"If we can score those early goals when we have teams under pressure we know we can win.

"Early on it was the defensive errors that were hurting us," Rufer said. "Now we are falling down at the other end and not taking our chances."

Facing a team as accomplished as Sydney Olympic will not be easy, nor will the task of containing their diminutive strikeforce of Nick Carle and Pablo Cardozo.

"They are smaller and quicker than other strikers we have come up against," Rufer said.

Given that, Rufer is almost certain to consider changes, with Chris Jackson, who has played at the back this season and has the strength of one-on-one marking, poised for a recall to join Levent Osman and Sean Douglas.

With concerns over Jeff Campbell's ability to mix it at this level - despite being rated by Rufer as one of the most talented players in the country - Noah Hickey could be set for his first game of the season and might join the now established midfield of Mark Burton, Harry Ngata and Aaran Lines, and newcomer Gerard Davis, who had an impressive introduction against Sydney United in Wellington last week.

Midfielder Andy Bluhm's chances of playing tonight ended yesterday when he was injured in a car crash in Auckland.

Paul Urlovic impressed in his return from the substitutes' bench against United and might be rewarded with a start alongside Dennis Ibrahim.

That would see player-coach Wynton Rufer back on the bench where he could be joined by Jonathan Perry, Tim Stevens or Cartwright.

Julio Cuello is certain to be goalkeeper Simon Eaddy's understudy.

Olympic coach Branko Culina said the Kingz could prove dangerous considering their position.

"This will be another tough away trip against a team who is desperate to do well in front of their home crowd."

Olympic go into the match in third place on goal difference from Perth Glory, trailing leaders South Melbourne by four points.

Perth are at home to Wollongong Wolves in a replay of last year's final, won by Wollongong.

The likely Kingz team: Simon Eaddy, Chris Jackson, Levent Osman, Sean Douglas, Noah Hickey, Harry Ngata, Mark Burton, Gerard Davis, Aaran Lines, Paul Urlovic and Denis Ibrahim.

Substitutes: Julio Cuello, Michael Cartwright, Tim Stevens and Wynton Rufer.