EDEN HERO RUNS OUT OF PLAYERS
GLOBAL FC’s hopes of upsetting the Brisbane Roar in tonight’s AFC Champions League playoff at Suncorp Stadium could rest on the shoulders of a player who last year scored goals for fun for the Capalaba Bulldogs.
Ahamad Azzawi, of Iraqi heritage but born in Japan, this month signed for the Filipino club on the back of his 22 goals for the Bulldogs in the 2016 Brisbane Premier League competition.
While Capalaba finished mid- table, Azzawi’s goalscoring feats earned him BPL player- of- the year honours.
The 22- year- old attacking weapon has already delivered for Global, scoring in their 2- 0 win over Singapore club Tampines Rovers last week.
That victory earnt Global a shot at the Roar, with the winner of tonight’s match to head to China next week to take on Shanghai Shenhua for a spot in the Champions League group stages.
Azzawi isn’t the only Global player with an Australian connection. Midfielder Yianni Perkatis, 22, made eight A- League appearances for the Western Sydney Wanderers between 2013 and 2015, while 25- yearold Shu Sasaki played in NSW competitions for Marconi and the Blacktown Spartans.
But regardless of who plays for Global, the Roar will start the match as almost unbackable favourites. That’s despite Brisbane coach John Aloisi intending to rest a host of players who started in the Roar’s 2- 1 weekend A- League win over the Wanderers.
“During this period, I have to rotate players and make sure that I freshen players up but the side that we put out will be a side that is going to be really strong and a side that is there to win,” said Aloisi, whose team is also in action on Friday night when they host Sydney FC at Suncorp Stadium. NEW Zealand overcame one of the greatest all- round performances in one- day cricket history by Australian rookie Marcus Stoinis to win the first match of the Chappell- Hadlee series yesterday by a threadbare six runs.
Playing in only his second ODI, 16 months after his first, the 27- year- old Stoinis almost single- handedly lifted Australia to victory, scoring 146 not out off 117 balls batting at No. 7, and taking three vital wickets for 49 runs.
Stoinis came to the wicket with Australia 54- 5 in the 13th over chasing New Zealand’s 286- 9. He batted through the next 34 overs, dominating five partnerships to spur his team to the brink of victory.
His unbeaten total was the highest by an Australian batting at No. 7 in a one- day international.
Foregoing singles and even twos, Stoinis resolved to hit Australia home with fours and sixes on the short boundaries at Eden Park and, after hitting nine fours and 11 sixes, he had come within one shot of tying the game when his last batting partner was lost.
Australia needed seven runs to win with a comfortable three overs in hand, but their hopes ended then when Josh Hazlewood was run out at the non- striker’s end by New Zealand captain Kane Williamson after backing up too far.
“I feel a little bit damp to be honest,” Stoinis said.
“I know it’s something I should enjoy and maybe it will sink in a little bit later.
“But the win was the No. 1 priority and there were a few sad faces in the dressing room.”