Former Saddler scores winning Australian league goal
Last updated : 05 March 2006 By Andy Van Hagen
An 80th minute strike from Steve Corica sealed the Australian League title for Sydney FC in the inaugural Grand Final of the Hyundai A League.
After the win Corica described the win as the highlight of his career "I've played overseas for 10 years and played for Australia but this is right up there, To score a goal in a grand final in front of 42,000 is hard to top."
A capacity crowd at Sydney's Aussie Stadium looked on as former Aston Villa and Manchester United striker and Sydney FC captain Dwight Yorke lifted the title for the pre-season favourites. Dwight is now expected to move back to England in search of first team football ahead of the World Cup this summer.
Sydney did not have it their own way this season and actually finished 2nd in the regular league having trailed Adelaide by 7 points. But it was a Sydney vs. Central Coast Mariners final with these teams progressing to the final in the play off format title tournament
| Team | W | D | L | PTS |
|---|
| 1. Adelaide | 13 | 4 | 4 | 43 |
| 2. Sydney | 10 | 6 | 5 | 36 |
| 3. Central Coast | 8 | 8 | 5 | 32 |
| 4. Newcastle | 9 | 4 | 8 | 31 |
| 5. Perth | 8 | 5 | 8 | 29 |
| 6. Queensland | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| 7. Melbourne | 7 | 5 | 9 | 26 |
| 8. New Zealand | 1 | 3 | 17 | 06 |
Another former Saddler in the Sydney FC ranks is striker David Zdrillic but he failed to make the field of play on the night.
The other former Saddlers playing their trade in the Hyundai A League are Neil Emblen and Darren Bazeley. In most contrasting circumstances they finished up with the wooden spoon having only picked up 6 points.
