A gritty defensive performance from Newcastle Jets captain Jade North helped the Olyroos hold on for a 1-1 draw in their opening Olympic fixture against Serbia last night.

Serbia dominated the match but was forced to shoot from outside the 18-yard box for most of the night thanks to the central defensive pairing of North and 20-year-old Matthew Spiranovic.

Australia struggled to keep possession last night but still managed to score the opening goal in the 69th minute when David Carney broke down the left flank and sent a dangerous ball across the face of the Serbian goal for Ruben Zadkovich to knock in at the far post.

The goal was one of the few Olyroos’ chances in a match in which Serbia dominated possession and had the lions-share of attacking chances. Serbian midfielder Zoran Tosic was particularly threatening, unleashing a barrage of long range shots that were only kept out by the brilliance of Olyroos goalkeeper Adam Federici.

Serbia’s sole goal came in the 78th minute when Slobodan Rajkovic headed home from a corner kick. Regular fouls made the Olympic clash ugly to watch at times and the Serbians, many of whom played in the Serbian team that was runners up in last year’s Euro U21 tournament, will be disappointed they could not steal the win.

Australian coach Graham Arnold said after the game that he was proud of the Olyroos and happy that that result meant they were still in with a chance of qualifying for the knock out stages of the competition.

“They all worked unbelievably hard in very trying conditions. Sometimes we did turn possession over too quickly but that might have been down to the occasion.”

Australia’s next match will be against Argentina on August 10. Argentina beat Ivory Coast 2-1 last night and currently sits at the top of Group A.
Australia line-up:

1. Adam Federici (gk), 2. Jade North, 4. Mark Milligan (c) (16. Billy Celeski 66’), 5. Matthew Spiranovic, 6. Nikolai Topor-Stanley, 8. Stuart Musialik, 10. Archie Thompson (15. Kristian Sarkies 76’), 11. David Carney, 12. Trent McClenahan, 13. Ruben Zadkovich, 17. Nikita Rukavytsya (9. Mark Bridge 88’).

Serbia line-up:

1. Vladimir Stojkovic (gk) (c), 2. Marko Jovanovic, 3. Aleksandar Kolarov, 5. Slobodan Rajkovic, 7. Milan Smiljanic, 8. Nikola Gulan (4. Gojko Kacar +73′), 9. Djordje Rakic (14. Milan Mrdakovic +56′), 12. Dusan Tadic, 13. Ljubomir Fejsa (15. Aleksander Zivkovic +77′) 16. Nenad Tomovic, 17. Zoran Tosic.

Referee: Jerome Damon (RSA)
Crowd: 36,184

By James Heffield, Betfair soccer bet journalist

Former Sydney FC utility Ruben Zadkovich is poised to snub A-League champions Newcastle Jets and return to England to join Crystal Palace.

The 21-year-old Olyroo has been on the market since parting ways with Sydney at the end of last season, and had been expected to join the Jets after agreeing terms last month. However, Zadkovich and Sydney reached mutual agreement to terminate his contract early – he was contracted until June – so he could try his luck overseas, and he has spent the past fortnight on trial at Selhurst Park.

Last week, Palace manager Neil Warnock is believed to have tabled a two-year deal, although personal terms have yet to be agreed. One source claimed Zadkovich wants to double the wages he has been offered.

Zadkovich spent two seasons in England as a teenager, first with Queens Park Rangers then with Notts County, before returning home to join Sydney on the eve of the inaugural A-League season in 2005. He has made 42 appearances for the club over the past three seasons, but never cemented a regular first-team spot, and his relationship with coach John Kosmina strained towards the end of last season.

Nonetheless, Sydney will be claiming a development fee if the transfer goes through. Sydney FC have also given Olyroos skipper Mark Milligan permission to train overseas – it’s believed he is in England – but have yet to release him from the final three months of his contract.

Newcastle coach Gary van Egmond has yet to concede he’s lost the fight for Zadkovich’s signature, but admits: “If he’s got a good deal overseas, there’s not much we can do about it.”

The Jets received some positive news yesterday when they trumped Sydney FC for talented young striker Jason Naidovski, who has scored eight goals for the AIS in the Victorian Premier League this season. Naidovski, 18, has agreed terms for a two-year deal with Newcastle.

The signing continues the Jets’ emphasis on youth – their three most recent recruits, Song Jin-hyung, Ben Kantarovski and James Holland, are all 20 years or under. But van Egmond has no concerns about fielding a youthful team next season, saying: “The chairman [Con Constantine] is on record as saying we won’t be using service agreements, so that means in a lot of cases we can’t pay what established players are getting elsewhere. But having a young side doesn’t worry me – these guys are hungry to improve, they have their careers in front of them and they want to succeed.”

The Jets have also been heavily linked to another rising star, Melbourne Victory midfielder Kaz Patafta, but to balance the ledger, director of football Remo Nogarotto hopes to sign two established imports – one based in Italy and another in Switzerland – while the club has also had talks with two fringe Socceroos defenders – Adrian Madaschi, who has spent the past eight years in the Italian lower leagues, and Ljubo Milicevic, who is on the market after terminating his contract with Melbourne Victory.

SMH

Stuart Musialik, the young midfielder with the golden touch, is now ex-pected to stay with the Newcastle Jets.

While the Jets will look towards go-to-man Joel Griffiths for the goals, Musialik’s distribution will be the real key for Newcastle in the A-League grand final against Central Coast at Sydney Football Stadium.

Musialik has given an indication through his new agent Tom Brooks that he will stay in his home town.

Jets football director Remo Nogarotto said that initial talks with Brooks had been very positive.

“There is goodwill with both sides,” Nogarotto said. “We have agreed how the framework will be put together. We decided to put the pencils down until after the grand final and pick them up again on Monday.”

The Jets are also hoping to secure Ruben Zadkovich, who has been released by Sydney FC and who also has Brooks as his manager.

“I’d like to have the two players signed up before they leave for San Francisco on Wednesday with Australia,” Nogarotto said.

Nogarotto remains confident that Tarek Elrich and Adam D’Apuzzo, who are also in the Olympic squad for the game against Mexico on March 2, will be wearing the Jets’ colours again after the grand final.

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