Aaron Silva is set for some rare on-field action when the Football Kingz meet Australian National Soccer League leaders South Melbourne at Ericsson Stadium tonight.
Top-scorer for the Kingz last season, the out-of-favour Chilean has started only twice this season, but gets his chance tonight in place ofthe suspended Paul Urlovic.
Silva is likely to be joined up front by Dennis Ibrahim, who has the opportunity to return to his best after a disappointing effort in the Kingz' late victory against Wollongong Wolves last Friday night.
That would again leave player-coach Wynton Rufer to play off the substitutes' bench - an option favoured by his brother and assistant coach Shane.
In other enforced changes, captain Harry Ngata misses out through suspension and likely player-of-the-year Mark Burton is sidelined by his troublesome back injury.
Given that the Kingz will almost certainly put out their now settled defensive unit, goalkeeper Julio Cuello and defenders Michael Cartwright, Sean Douglas and Che Bunce will have their own battle royal with New Zealander Vaughan Coveny, who will again spearhead the South Melbourne attack.
The Kingz midfield will be reshuffled, and five will start from the seven named - Jonathan Perry, Andy Bluhm, Gerard Davis, Levent Osman, Noah Hickey, Aaran Lines and Chris Jackson. The other two will join Wynton Rufer and Chris Marsh on the bench.
The match holds some significance for the Kingz. It is being played on the same ground where, 20 years ago today, the All Whites kicked off what was to become their successful bid for a place in the 1982 World Cup finals with a 3-3 draw against Australia.
Any ideas that the visitors will not need to play at full tilt have disappeared because they still need a couple of points from their last two games to ensure they finish top of the league and with it earn home advantage and two lives in the top six playoffs.
For the Kingz, there is no such luxury. Their playoff hopes will die with anything other than a victory tonight.
Even then, they will have to wait for the result of the match between Marconi and Melbourne Knights to know whether their season lives on.
The match, to be refereed by Derek Rugg, kicks off at the earlier than usual time of 7 pm.
