Flying Kiwis – May 11
BILLY!
Promotion and a title for Tui, injury and an interview for Winston, revenge for Ryan, goals for Brockie, a bad miss from Marco and the Premier League Dream is alive and well for Smithy.
Winston Reid – West Ham United (English Premier League)
At this point it would be a surprise if Winston Reid plays again this season. The Hammers have nothing to prove nor to play for, Reid won’t wanna risk anything and rookie teenager Reece Burke has deputised well in his absence. Maybe that’s the jinx that has him back for next week, Fat Sam did say he only just missed out, we’ll have to see. There are only two games left though and West Ham are log-jammed in mid-table obscurity.
Anyway, without Winston West Ham fell 1-0 to Aston Villa. But on the bright side their fair play record might be enough to earn a bonus Europa League spot, perhaps another reason not to rush their most yellow carded player this season. (Winnie has 9 in 28 games).
Also here’s Winston talking about WHU’s season with the BBC.
Up Next: Hosting fellow mid-tablers Everton at 2am Sunday (NZT)
Tommy Smith – Ipswich Town (English Championship)
The Premier League Dream is alive and well in Ipswich. A 1-1 draw in their home leg against bitter rivals Norwich has them well in the tie ahead of next week’s deciding second match. It was a frantic first half in which both teams had chances, but an injury to Luke Varney slowe things down as the medics called for the stretcher. That led to six minutes of stoppage time.
Despite that lengthy break, the heat didn't go out of a rapid half. John Ruddy had made a few top saves for Norwich, while Ipswich survived a couple of dangerous crosses. Ipswich probably had the better of the first stretch of the game, certainly given that they were solid underdogs, yet the deadlock was broken by their opponents. Tommy Smith got dragged wide and was comfortably overpowered by Cameron Jerome, who slipped down the sideline and punted in a lovely cross that Jonny Howson finished confidently. First blow to the favourites, that should have demoralised Ipswich’s attempts.
Maybe it would have too, had they not hit back deep into that extended stretch of time added on. Freddie Sears skipped past a tackle on the edge of the box and slammed a shot towards goal. Ruddy made the save, but parried it back into danger and after Daryl Murphy’s follow up was blocked, the ball fell to Paul Anderson and he took it to the bank. 1-1 at half time.
The second half was a much tamer affair, Norwich with a few more chances and more possession too. However Smithy and the lads put up the wall and held out for a positive result. They’ll need to score in Norwich to have any chance of advancing but even if they don’t, it’s already been a successful season. Still, with the golden chalice of promotion there in the distance, nobody should be lacking for ambition.
Middlesbrough beat Brentford 2-1 away in the other playoff semi-final, they look like the real deal.
Up Next: Norwich vs Ipswich, 11.15pm Saturday (NZT)
Ryan Thomas – PEC Zwolle (Dutch Eredivisie)
It’s not quite revenge for their Cup Final loss last week to the same opposition, but Ryan Thomas was able to help his Zwolle side to a 1-0 win against Groningen. A tight game between two even teams was decided with a little over 15 minutes left to run on the clock as Thomas set up Tomas Necid for a simple finish to take the points, though they did have to survive the last couple minutes with 10 men after Thomas Lam was dismissed. A busy day for the Toms of Zwolle. With one game remaining, Zwolle rise to sixth on the table and are now guaranteed a Europa League qualifier next season.
Up Next: Last game of the season, home to Feyenoord at 12.30am Monday (NZT)
Marco Rojas – FC Thun (Swiss Super League)
It took some hard work, but Rojas and Thun were able to hold on for a 0-0 draw away at Luzern. After having the first decent chance of the game (Andreas Wittwer shooting past the post from distance), Thun were the early dominators. And our lad Marco shoulda had the opening goal too, as he made a clever run to beat the offside trap but the ball was slightly behind him and he tried some spinning, backheeled finish from six yards out and hit the keeper with it. Luzern ripped it up for 15 minutes after the break, Thun were a little lucky to hold on. They did, though, a draw cementing their place in third with other results going their way. Rojas was subbed off after 63 mins.
Up Next: 11.45pm Sunday, FC Zurich come to visit (NZT)
Bill Tuiloma – Olympique de Marseille (French Ligue 1)
Champions of what? Certainly not Ligue 1, Marseille only just snapped a four game losing streak last with a win that keeps them in fourth and digging in for Europe, holding firm with another win this morning over Monaco.
Nope, Tui wasn’t playing there anyway. It’s the reserve team that are celebrating, a 2-0 win over Arles II putting them an unassailable eight points clear with two games left in their group of the CFA2 division of French footy. That stands for Championnat de France Amateur 2, and is effectively the fifth tier of football in the country. Most teams are amateur at that level, but a few reserve teams like OM are semi-pro. CFA2 is contested by 128 clubs, split into 8 regional divisions. The eight division champions and four best runners-up are all promoted to the fourth tier CFA division, in which there are 72 teams split into four divisions. This is the first time that Marseille’s reserves have qualified for this level in a decade.
Up Next: The reserves face Uzès Pont du Gard for mathematical purposes.
Jeremy Brockie – SuperSport United (South African Premier Soccer League)
Jeez, somebody get Brockie’s agent on the phone. We need him back at the Wellington Phoenix! It was a mixed bag of lollies this week for SuperSport, who found themselves on each end of a couple of 2-1 results, but it was Brockie who scored all three of their goals in those games.
Those results bring an end to the South African PSL, SuperSport finishing a commendable sixth place with 12 wins and 5 draws form their 30 games. Incredibly, Brockie finished tied for eighth on the goal-scoring charts despite only playing less than half a season. That doesn’t include the two goals he scored in cup competition either.
Up Next: Putting the feet up for a well-earned break.