- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Newcastle goalkeeper Ante Covic is confident he can do the job for the Jets if tomorrow’s A-League grand final against the Central Coast is decided by a penalty shootout.
Covic failed to stop any of Adelaide United’s four penalties when the Jets lost 4-3 in a shootout in last year’s preliminary final.
But after saving two of five spot kicks this season, and having a third from Mariners’ World Cup hero John Aloisi miss the target, the 31-year-old said he would take no fear into a shootout.
By comparison, Mariners shot-stopper Danny Vukovic has faced just two penalties this season, with Sydney’s Alex Brosque missing the first and Jets striker Joel Griffiths hammering home the second last month in the first leg of the major semi-final.
“I go into penalties with pretty much no pressure, really,” said Covic.
“If they’re going to score, no-one’s going to say anything really terrible about you.
“You’ve got to try and psych the player out and try and make him make the decision as much as possible.
“I go into penalties confident. You’re obviously not going to save all of them but I think that I’ve done pretty well this year with the penalties.
“Hopefully it doesn’t go to that this week, hopefully we do the job in normal time but in that situation, you’ve got to be pumped.”
On the flip side, the Jets haven’t missed from the spot during a game in the past two seasons, netting five from five.
Mariners strikers Aloisi and Petrovski have both missed penalties this season. Central Coast’s record the past two seasons from the spot is six goals from nine attempts.
CENTRAL COAST MARINERS v NEWCASTLE JETS
A-League Grand Final
Sydney Football Stadium
Sunday Feb 24, 5pm
Teams
CENTRAL COAST: (likely) Danny Vukovic (gk); Alvin Ceccoli, Tony Vidmar, Alex Wilkinson (capt), Nigel Boogaard; John Hutchinson, Mile Jedinak, Tom Pondeljak, Adam Kwasnik; Sasho Petrovski, John Aloisi. Substitutes: Matthew Trott (gk), Matt Simon, Andre Gumprecht, Greg Owens, Andrew Clark, Brad Porter, Damien Brown (two to be omitted). Coach: Lawrie McKinna.
NEWCASTLE JETS: (likely) Ante Covic (gk); Adam D’Apuzzo, Jade North (capt), Andrew Durante, Tarek Elrich; Matt Thompson, Adam Griffiths, Stuart Musialik, Mark Bridge; James Holland, Joel Griffiths. Substitutes: Ben Kennedy (gk), Troy Hearfield, Noel Spencer, Jason Hoffman, Jin-Hyung Song, Denni, Paul Kohler, Jobe Wheelhouse (three to be omitted). Coach: Gary van Egmond.
Referee: Mark Shield. Assistant referees: Nathan Gibson and Ben Wilson. Fourth official: Matthew Breeze.
Stat Leaders
Goals – Mariners: Petrovski 8, Aloisi 7. Jets: Griffiths 14, Bridge 4.
Goal assists – Mariners: Ponedljak 5. Jets: D’Apuzzo 4.
Keeper clean sheets – Mariners: Vukovic 8. Jets: Covic 7.
Keeper saves – Mariners: Vukovic 73. Jets: Covic 75.
Head-to-Head
Overall: Played 13, Mariners 3, Jets 5, Drawn 5
This season: Played 5, Mariners 1, Jets 2, Drawn 2
In finals: Played 4: Mariners 2, Jets 1, Drawn 1
Last Five Meetings
Central Coast 3-0, Bluetongue Stadium, Feb 10 2008 (major semi, 2nd leg)
Newcastle 2-0, EnergyAustralia Stadium, Jan 27 2008 (major semi, 1st leg)
Newcastle 2-1, Bluetongue Stadium, Jan 12 2008
Draw 0-0, EnergyAustralia Stadium, Nov 25 2007
Draw 1-1, Bluetongue Stadium, Oct 7 2007
A-League Honour Board
Champions Premiers
2005/06 Sydney FC Adelaide
2006/07 Melbourne Melbourne
2007/08 Central Coast
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.