1995–96 NSL Cup

1995–96 NSL Cup
National Soccer League Cup
Tournament details
CountryAustralia
Dates3–27 January 1996
Teams12
Defending championsMelbourne Knights
Final positions
ChampionsSouth Melbourne (2nd title)
Runner-upNewcastle Breakers
Tournament statistics
Matches played17
Goals scored49 (2.88 per match)
Attendance39,416 (2,319 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Vaughan Coveny (5 goals)

The 1995–96 NSL Cup was the 20th edition of the NSL Cup, which was the main national association football knockout cup competition in Australia. The NSL Cup was sponsored by Johnnie Walker and known as the Johnnie Walker Cup for sponsorship purposes.[1]

Melbourne Knights were the defending champions, having defeated Heidelberg United to win their first title in the previous season's final, but they were eliminated in the first round by eventual winners South Melbourne.[2]

South Melbourne defeated Newcastle Breakers 3–1 in the final to win their second NSL Cup title.

Teams

The NSL Cup was a knockout competition with 12 teams taking part all trying to reach the Final in January 1996.[3] The competition consisted of the 12 teams from the National Soccer League.

Round Main date Number of fixtures Clubs remaining
First round Saturday 20 January 1996 12 12 → 6
Quarter-finals Tuesday 23 January 1996 2 6 → 4
Semi-finals Thursday 25 January 1996 2 4 → 2
Final Saturday 27 January 1996 1 2 → 1

Bracket

 
First roundQuarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
                      
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Adelaide City123
 
 
 
Morwell Falcons00 0
 
Adelaide City1
 
 
 
Newcastle Breakers3
 
Newcastle Breakers112
 
 
 
Brisbane Strikers10 1
 
Newcastle Breakers3
 
 
 
Sydney Olympic1
 
Sydney Olympic235
 
 
 
Wollongong City30 3
 
Newcastle Breakers1
 
 
 
South Melbourne3
 
South Melbourne404
 
 
 
Melbourne Knights21 3
 
South Melbourne3
 
 
 
Marconi Fairfield2
 
Marconi Fairfield123
 
 
 
Sydney United10 1
 
South Melbourne3
 
 
 
Canberra Cosmos1
 
West Adelaide101
 
 
Canberra Cosmos11 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

First round

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Adelaide City 3–0 Morwell Falcons 1–0 2–0
Newcastle Breakers 2–1 Brisbane Strikers 1–0 1–1
Sydney Olympic 5–3 Wollongong City 2–3 3–0
South Melbourne 4–3 Melbourne Knights 4–2 0–1
Marconi Fairfield 3–1 Sydney United 1–1 2–0
West Adelaide 1–2 Canberra Cosmos 1–1 0–1
3 January 1996 West Adelaide 1–1 Canberra Cosmos Adelaide
19:30 ACDT
  • Day 73'
 Report
Stadium: Hindmarsh Stadium
Attendance: 2,600
Referee: John Papanicolas
20 January 1996 Canberra Cosmos 1–0West AdelaideCanberra
19:00 AEDT
Report Stadium: Bruce Stadium
Attendance: 2,600
Referee: Gerry Connelly

Canberra Cosmos won 2–1 on aggregate

10 January 1996 Adelaide City 1–0 Morwell Falcons Adelaide
19:30 ACDT
Report Stadium: Hindmarsh Stadium
Attendance: 1,637
Referee: Wayne Dade
20 January 1996 Morwell Falcons0–2 Adelaide City Morwell
19:00 AEDT
Report Stadium: Falcons Park
Attendance: 500
Referee: Ljupco Naumovski

Adelaide City won 3–0 on aggregate

12 January 1996 Newcastle Breakers 1–0 Brisbane Strikers Sydney
19:30 AEDT
Report Stadium: Austral Park
Attendance: 1,310
Referee: Con Diomis
20 January 1996 Brisbane Strikers1–1 Newcastle Breakers Brisbane
19:00 AEST
Report
Stadium: Suncorp Stadium
Attendance: 3,149
Referee: Derek Crawford

Newcastle Breakers won 2–1 on aggregate

14 January 1996 South Melbourne 4–2 Melbourne Knights Melbourne
19:00 AEDT
Report
Stadium: Bob Jane Stadium
Attendance: 1,800
Referee: Gerry Connelly
20 January 1996 Melbourne Knights1–0 South Melbourne Melbourne
19:30 AEDT
Report Stadium: Knights Stadium
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: John Fraser

South Melbourne won 4–3 on aggregate

14 January 1996 UTS Olympic 2–3 Wollongong City Sydney
19:00 AEDT
Report
Stadium: Leichhardt Oval
Attendance: 2,624
Referee: Simon Micallef
20 January 1996 Wollongong City0–3 UTS Olympic Wollongong
19:00 AEDT Report
Stadium: Brandon Park
Attendance: 2,604
Referee: Brett Hugo

Sydney Olympic won 5–3 on aggregate

14 January 1996 Marconi Fairfield 1–1 Sydney United Sydney
19:00 AEDT
Report
Stadium: Marconi Stadium
Attendance: 5,012
Referee: John Fraser
20 January 1996 Sydney United0–2 Marconi Fairfield Sydney
19:00 AEDT Report
Stadium: Sydney United Sports Centre
Attendance: 1,836
Referee: Simon Micallef

Marconi Fairfield won 3–1 on aggregate

Quarter-finals

Adelaide City and Canberra Cosmos had a bye for the Quarter-finals.

23 January 1996 South Melbourne 3–2Marconi FairfieldMelbourne
 Report
Stadium: Bob Jane Stadium
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Gerry Connelly
23 January 1996 Newcastle Breakers 3–1UTS OlympicNewcastle
 Report
Stadium: Breakers Stadium
Attendance: 1,267
Referee: Simon Micallef

Semi-finals

25 January 1996 Newcastle Breakers 3–1Adelaide CityNewcastle
 Report
Stadium: Breakers Stadium
Attendance: 1,625
Referee: Con Diomis
25 January 1996 South Melbourne 3–1Canberra CosmosMelbourne
 Report
Stadium: Bob Jane Stadium
Attendance: 2,360
Referee: Brett Hugo

Final

Main article: 1996 NSL Cup final (January)
South Melbourne3–1Newcastle Breakers
 Report
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Simon Micallef

References

  1. ^ "NSL Cup 1995-1996, Johnnie Walker Cup tournament program". Internet Archive.
  2. ^ "Knights run away with NSL title". The Canberra Times. Vol. 70, no. 21, 732. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 17 October 1994. p. 25. Retrieved 9 November 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ Esamie, Thomas. "1995/6 Johnnie Walker Cup Results". OzFootball.