1997 National Soccer League Grand Final

Football match

1997 National Soccer League Grand FinalEvent| 1996–97 National Soccer League

|

| Brisbane Strikers | Sydney United

|

2 | 0
Date| 25 May 1997 (1997-05-25)
Venue| Lang Park, Brisbane, Australia
Man of the Match| Alan Hunter
(Joe Marston Medal)
Referee| Simon Micallef
Attendance| 40,446

<- 1996

1998 ->

The 1997 National Soccer League Grand Final was held on 25 May 1997 between Brisbane Strikers and Sydney United at Lang Park. Brisbane gained home advantage because despite finishing below United on the league standings, they defeated the Sydney side in the major semi-final two weeks earlier. The teams were all locked up at half time, however two goals for the Strikers by Frank Farina and Rod Brown secured their first NSL championship.[1][2][3] Alan Hunter won the Joe Marston Medal.

## Route to the final[edit]

### League Standings[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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1  | Sydney United | 26  | 17  | 5  | 4  | 67  | 33  | +34  | 56  | 1997 National Soccer League Finals
2  | Brisbane Strikers (C) | 26  | 15  | 2  | 9  | 55  | 40  | +15  | 47  | 1996-97 National Soccer League Champions
3  | South Melbourne | 26  | 14  | 4  | 8  | 39  | 25  | +14  | 46  | 1997 National Soccer League Finals
4  | Adelaide City | 26  | 11  | 10  | 5  | 32  | 22  | +10  | 43
5  | Marconi Stallions | 26  | 12  | 4  | 10  | 41  | 37  | +4  | 40
6  | Melbourne Knights | 26  | 11  | 6  | 9  | 36  | 32  | +4  | 39
7  | Perth Glory | 26  | 11  | 5  | 10  | 48  | 41  | +7  | 38  |
8  | West Adelaide | 26  | 10  | 3  | 13  | 39  | 51  | −12  | 33
9  | UTS Olympic | 26  | 8  | 8  | 10  | 41  | 46  | −5  | 32
10  | Wollongong Wolves | 26  | 8  | 8  | 10  | 42  | 48  | −6  | 32
11  | Newcastle Breakers | 26  | 7  | 9  | 10  | 40  | 46  | −6  | 30
12  | Gippsland Falcons | 26  | 8  | 6  | 12  | 33  | 41  | −8  | 30
13  | Collingwood Warriors (R) | 26  | 6  | 9  | 11  | 32  | 44  | −12  | 27  | Disbanded at end of season
14  | Canberra Cosmos | 26  | 2  | 5  | 19  | 30  | 69  | −39  | 11  |

Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

### Finals Bracket[edit]

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Elimination finals| | | Semifinals| | | Preliminary final| | | Grand final
| | | |
| 1| Sydney United| 0| 2| (2)| | | Sydney United| 0
| | | |
| 2| Brisbane Strikers (a)| 1| 1| (2)| | | | | | | Brisbane Strikers| 2
| | |
| | | Sydney United| 1|
| 3| South Melbourne| 4| 3| (7)| | | | |
| | | | | | South Melbourne| 0| |
| 6| Melbourne Knights| 1| 0| (1)| | | | | | |
| | | | South Melbourne| 1|
| | | | |
| | | | Adelaide City| 0| |
| 4| Adelaide City| 0| 4| (4)| | | |
| | |
| 5| Marconi Fairfield| 3| 0| (3)| |
| | | | | |

## Match[edit]

### Details[edit]

25 May 1997
15:00 AEST

Brisbane Strikers| 2 - 0| Sydney United

|
|

Farina 47'
Brown 69' | Reports[4] |

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Attendance: 40,446

Referee: Simon Micallef

|  |

|

GK | 1 |  Clint Bolton
DF | 2 |  Glen Gwynne |  |  |  88'
DF | 3 |  Alan Hunter
FW | 5 |  Frank Farina |  |  |  80'
MF | 6 |  Sean Cranney
FW | 7 |  Rod Brown
FW | 9 |  Danny Wright
MF | 11 |  Troy Cranney
MF | 15 |  Chay Hews |  |  |  79'
DF | 16 |  Kasey Wehrman
FW | 17 |  Craig Williams
Substitutes:
FW | 8 |  Matt Bell |  |  |  88'
FW | 10 |  Reece Tollenaere |  |  |  80'
MF | 12 |  Jeremy Harris |  |  |  79'
Manager:
Frank Farina

Joe Marston Medal:
Alan Hunter (Brisbane Strikers)
|  |

|

GK | 1 |  Zeljko Kalac
DF | 2 |  Rob Trajkovski |  |  63'
DF | 5 |  Velimir Kupresak
DF | 7 |  Mark Babic
MF | 10 |  Richard Plesa
MF | 11 |  Kresimir Marusic
MF | 12 |  Ante Moric
FW | 14 |  Ante Milicic
MF | 15 |  Aytec Genc
FW | 17 |  David Zdrilic
MF | 23 |  Paul Bilokapic |  |  81'
Substitutes:
MF | 3 |  Jason Culina |  |  63'
DF | 25 |  Mark Rudan |  |  81'
Manager:
Branko Culina

Assistant referees:
Fourth official:

Match rules

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

|

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Australian National League" (PDF). Hyundai A-League season guide 2019–20: 322.
2. ^ "1997 National Soccer League Playoff results". www.ozfootball.net. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
3. ^ Lutton, Phil (10 March 2011). "Strikers miracle to spur on Roar". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
4. ^ "1997 NSL Final". Oz Football. Retrieved 30 December 2022.

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*[Pos]: Position
*[Pld]: Played
*[W]: Won
*[D]: Drawn
*[L]: Lost
*[GF]: Goals for
*[GA]: Goals against
*[GD]: Goal difference
*[Pts]: Points
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