# 1988 National Soccer League Grand Final

The 1988 National Soccer League Grand Final was the fourth National Soccer League Grand Final, the championship-deciding match of the Australian National Soccer League and the culmination of the 1988 season. The match was played between Sydney Croatia and Marconi Fairfield on 3 September 1988 at Parramatta Stadium in Sydney.
This was the first NSL Grand Final for both teams. Marconi Fairfield won 5–4 on penalties after a 2–2 draw and is the first club to win the national league championship from fourth place. It was also the first Australian National League Grand Final to feature two teams from the same city, with both teams representing Sydney.

## Teams

| Team | Previous grand final appearances |
| Sydney Croatia | None |
| Marconi Fairfield | None |

## Route to the final
### Sydney Croatia

| Round | Sydney Croatia | Sydney Croatia | Sydney Croatia | Sydney Croatia |
| Regular season | 2nd placed Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Wollongong City 26 34 2 Sydney Croatia 26 34 3 South Melbourne 26 34 4 Marconi Fairfield (C) 26 32 5 Sydney Olympic 26 27 Source: rsssf.com (C) Champions | 2nd placed Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Wollongong City 26 34 2 Sydney Croatia 26 34 3 South Melbourne 26 34 4 Marconi Fairfield (C) 26 32 5 Sydney Olympic 26 27 Source: rsssf.com (C) Champions | 2nd placed Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Wollongong City 26 34 2 Sydney Croatia 26 34 3 South Melbourne 26 34 4 Marconi Fairfield (C) 26 32 5 Sydney Olympic 26 27 Source: rsssf.com (C) Champions | 2nd placed Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 1 Wollongong City 26 34 2 Sydney Croatia 26 34 3 South Melbourne 26 34 4 Marconi Fairfield (C) 26 32 5 Sydney Olympic 26 27 Source: rsssf.com (C) Champions |
| Major semi-final | Opponent | Score | Score | Score |
| Major semi-final | Wollongong Wolves | 0–0 (4–3 p) (A) | 0–0 (4–3 p) (A) | 0–0 (4–3 p) (A) |

### Marconi Fairfield

| Round | Marconi Fairfield | Marconi Fairfield | Marconi Fairfield | Marconi Fairfield |
| Regular season | 4th placed Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 2 Sydney Croatia 26 34 3 South Melbourne 26 34 4 Marconi Fairfield (C) 26 32 5 Sydney Olympic 26 27 6 Adelaide City 26 27 Source: rsssf.com (C) Champions | 4th placed Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 2 Sydney Croatia 26 34 3 South Melbourne 26 34 4 Marconi Fairfield (C) 26 32 5 Sydney Olympic 26 27 6 Adelaide City 26 27 Source: rsssf.com (C) Champions | 4th placed Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 2 Sydney Croatia 26 34 3 South Melbourne 26 34 4 Marconi Fairfield (C) 26 32 5 Sydney Olympic 26 27 6 Adelaide City 26 27 Source: rsssf.com (C) Champions | 4th placed Pos Teamvte Pld Pts 2 Sydney Croatia 26 34 3 South Melbourne 26 34 4 Marconi Fairfield (C) 26 32 5 Sydney Olympic 26 27 6 Adelaide City 26 27 Source: rsssf.com (C) Champions |
| Elimination semi-final | Opponent | Score | Score | Score |
| Elimination semi-final | Sydney Olympic | 3–1 (H) | 3–1 (H) | 3–1 (H) |
| Minor semi-final | Opponent | Score | Score | Score |
| Minor semi-final | South Melbourne | 2–1 (A) | 2–1 (A) | 2–1 (A) |
| Preliminary Final | Opponent | Score | Score | Score |
| Preliminary Final | Wollongong City | 2–0 (A) | 2–0 (A) | 2–0 (A) |

## Match
### Details

| GK | Tony Franken |
| DF | Wally Savor | | 91' |
| DF | Graham Jennings |
| DF | Alan Hunter |
| DF | Vedran Rožić |
| DF | Mark Jones |
| MF | Shane Clinch |
| MF | Robbie Slater |
| MF | Ivan Petkovic | 63' |
| FW | Graham Arnold |
| FW | Manis Lamond | | 115' |
| Substitutes: ||
| MF | Craig Foster | | 91' |
| FW | Sean Ingham | | 115' |
| Head coach: ||
| Vedran Rožić ||
| GK | Bob Catlin |
| DF | Paul Carter |
| DF | Tony Henderson |
| DF | Steve Calderan |
| DF | Gerry Gomez | 65' |
| MF | Matteo Colucci | | 15' |
| MF | Ian Gray |
| MF | Zlatko Nastevski |
| MF | Peter Katholos |
| MF | David Lowe | | 65' |
| FW | Frank Farina |
| Substitutes: ||
| DF | Robert Wheatley | | 15' |
| FW | Fred de Jong | | 115' |
| Head coach: ||
| Berti Mariani ||
| Assistant referees: Fourth official: | Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. |