1999 National Soccer League Grand Final

Football match

Event

1998–99 National Soccer League

South Melbourne	Sydney United

3	2

Date

30 May 1999 (1999-05-30)

Venue

Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne, Australia

Man of the Match

Goran Lozanovski
(Joe Marston Medal)

Referee

Simon Michallef

Attendance

15,194

← 1998

2000 →

The 1999 National Soccer League Grand Final, also known as the 1999 Ericsson Cup Grand Final, was held on 30 May 1999 between South Melbourne and Sydney United at Olympic Park Stadium. South Melbourne gained home advantage as although Sydney United finished higher in the regular season, South Melbourne won the major semi-final against them two weeks prior. Mile Sterjovski scored first for United as they went up 1–0 at the half time break, however, a goal from Paul Trimboli and a brace from John Anastasiadis sealed South Melbourne's second consecutive championship and fourth overall. Goran Lozanovski won the Joe Marston Medal.^[1]^[2]

Background

Sydney United finished the season with the minor premiership through a 3–1 win over the Adelaide Sharks on the final day of the season. South Melbourne finished one point from first place.^[3]^[4]

Route to the final

League Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Sydney United	28	18	4	6	53	33	+20	58	1999 National Soccer League Finals
2	South Melbourne (C)	28	17	6	5	50	26	+24	57	1999 Oceania Club Championship
3	Perth Glory	28	16	5	7	62	37	+25	53	1999 National Soccer League Finals
4	Marconi Stallions	28	15	3	10	53	47	+6	48
5	Northern Spirit	28	14	4	10	36	35	+1	46
6	Adelaide City	28	13	6	9	39	26	+13	45
7	Sydney Olympic	28	12	7	9	46	36	+10	43
8	Newcastle Breakers	28	11	7	10	29	33	−4	40
9	Brisbane Strikers	28	11	6	11	41	47	−6	39
10	Wollongong Wolves	28	8	8	12	45	52	−7	32
11	Carlton SC	28	9	4	15	47	47	0	31
12	Melbourne Knights	28	8	5	15	32	43	−11	29
13	West Adelaide (R)	28	7	6	15	36	46	−10	27	Disbanded at end of season
14	Gippsland Falcons	28	5	10	13	17	44	−27	25
15	Canberra Cosmos	28	4	3	21	21	55	−34	15

Updated to match(es) played on 25 April 1999. Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Finals Bracket


Elimination Finals					Major/Minor Semifinals					Preliminary Final			Grand Final

					9 & 16 May 1999

					2	South Melbourne	2	0	2				South Melbourne	3

					1	Sydney United	1	0	1	23 May 1999			Sydney United	2

										1	Sydney United	2
6	Adelaide City	0	1	1
					15 May 1999					3	Perth Glory	1
3	Perth Glory	0	2	2
					3	Perth Glory			1

					4	Marconi Stallions			0
5	Northern Spirit	0	1	1

4	Marconi Stallions	0	2	2

Match

Details

30 May 1999

15:15 AEST

South Melbourne	3 – 2	Sydney United
Trimboli 53' Anastasiadis 63', 87'	Reports^[5]	Sterjovski 8' Townsend 90+'

Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne

Attendance: 15,194

Referee: Simon Michallef


GK	1	Michael Petkovic
MF	2	Steve Iosifidis
DF	3	Fausto De Amicis
DF	4	Nick Orlic
DF	5	Con Blatsis
MF	6	David Clarkson
MF	7	Steve Panopoulos
FW	8	Vaughan Coveny
FW	9	Paul Trimboli (c)	68'
FW	10	Michael Curcija	63'
MF	15	Goran Lozanovski	81'
Substitutes:
GK	20	Chris Jones
FW	11	John Anastasiadis	63'
MF	16	George Goutzioulis	68'
FW	17	Jim Tsekinis	81'
DF	18	Robert Liparoti
Manager:
Ange Postecoglou
Joe Marston Medal:
Goran Lozanovski (South Melbourne)


GK	30	Mike Gibson
DF	2	David Barrett
DF	4	Velimir Kupresak (c)
DF	5	Richard Plesa
DF	6	Joe Vrkic
MF	7	Jacob Burns	88'
FW	9	Mile Sterjovski
FW	10	Nathan Day	64'
MF	11	Steve Berry
DF	17	Michael Santalab	68'
MF	28	Peter Bennett
Substitutes:
GK	20	Barney Smith
DF	8	Walter Ardone	88'
MF	15	Danny Townsend	68'
FW	19	Joel Griffiths	64'
MF	25	Ante Moric
Manager:
David Mitchell^[6]

Assistant referees:
Fourth official:

Match rules

90 minutes.
30 minutes of extra time if necessary.
Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.

Post-match

The match served as a qualifier for the 1999 Oceania Club Championship.^[7] South Melbourne qualified easily for the championship final, conceding just one goal in the group stage and defeating Tahitian club A.S. Vénus 3–0 in the semifinal. They qualified for the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship with a 5–0 win in the final. At the Club World Championship, South Melbourne finished fourth in their group, eighth overall, without recording a win and scoring one goal.

References

^ Cockerill, Michael (31 May 1999). "Sunk by a sub". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Cockerill, Ian (31 May 1999). "Fairytales are reserved for Souths". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Gatt, Ray (26 April 1999). "Pumas secure minor premiership National Soccer League". Sport. The Australian. p. 24.
^ Mangan, Patrick (30 May 1999). "Premiership today, the world next?". The Sunday Age. p. 10.
^ "1999 National Soccer League Playoff results". www.ozfootball.net. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ Majid, Sham (20 April 2013). "Grand final recollections: David Mitchell". Goal.com. DAZN Media. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
^ Warren, Johnny (30 May 1999). "World champs is golden goal". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.

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