Auckland City

Canterbury United

0

1

Ken Yamamoto 88'

by Bob Pearce at Kiwitea Street
asbpremiership.co.nz

AUCKLAND - An inspired substitution by coach Keith Braithwaite in the final 10 minutes earned Canterbury United a 1-0 victory over Auckland City and a place in the ASB Premiership semifinals for the second year in a row.

Needing a win to leapfrog Hawkes Bay United in the final round fixture delayed by the Canterbury earthquake, the Southerners looked to have wasted the string of chances they created in a spirited display at Kiwitea St.
 
Then Braithwaite brought on national under-17 player Ken Yamamoto in the 82nd minute and the youngster delivered when he forced home a cross from Ryan Faichney that was bouncing around in the Auckland area.
 
"We knew with 10 to go we had to take a gamble," said a delighted Braithwaite. "He's got a sense for goal and it's worked for us.
 
"But what a team performance that was. The heart and desire to win from the players couldn't be faulted."
 
Auckland City were trying to extend an eight-game winning streak in the Premiership but they clearly had their minds partially on the first-leg semifinal against Team Wellington in the capital on Sunday.
 
They had chances to seal the win, notably a first-half goal-bound drive by Daniel Koprivcic, brilliantly saved by Tom Batty in the 22nd minute. Then in the 28th minute Canterbury were unlucky when a header by Schwarz caromed off the bar with goalie Jacob Spoonley beaten.
 
Gagame Feni was waltzing round the defence but either wasting his final pass or shooting weakly.
 
But the miss of the game came in the 77th minute when Andrew Milne blew a one on one with the goalie and when the blocked shot rolled loose Ian Hogg blasted the ball wide of the gaping net.
   
The introduction of Faichnie kept Canterbury on the offensive and he created chances with forays down the right before the crucial cross that sealed the game.
 
Auckland coach Aaron McFarland was disappointed at his team's performance but understanding of the psychological pressure.
 
"I was disappointed at the way they played in the second half. They stopped playing the way we've become known for, treasuring possession," he said.
 
"But at the back of their minds was the important game we have in Wellington in three days."
 
Canterbury will be back in Auckland on Sunday to play Waitakere United in the first leg of their semifinal. The return game has been delayed until April 3 to allow Canterbury to arrange a venue.

Auckland City

V

Canterbury United

1 Jacob Spoonley (GK)

22 Tom Batty (GK)

3 Ian Hogg

3 Nick Wortelboer

4 Sam Campbell

4 Gareth Rowe

7 James Pritchett (Thomas 45)

5 Tom Schwarz

10 Luis Corrales

7 Aaron Clapham

11 Daniel Koprivcic (Kelly 65)

9 Russell Kamo

15 Ivan Vicelich

10 Sam Miles (Yamamoto 82)

16 Albert Riera (Exposito 58)

12 Gagami Feni

20 Riki Van Steeden

13 Garry McDermott(Attwell 56)

22 Andrew Milne

19 Jeremy Wild

26 Aaron Bawdekar

23 Andrew Barton (Faichnie 69)

Substitutes

Substitutes

6 Stu Kelly (on 65')

11 Ryan Faichnie (on 69')

9 Manel Exposito *on 58')

15 Danny Attwell (on 56')

12 Liam Little

20 Dominic McGarr

23 Adam Thomas (on 45')

21 Ken Yamamoto (on 82') 

30 Rory Kelly

25 Andrew Pitman

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

0 mins

Beautiful evening with bright sunshine and a gentle breeze.

0 more mins

David Mulligan missing from Auckland lineup, on plane to China for trial.

0 even more mins

Both teams have plenty of regualrs, Vicelich a starter for Auckland; Clapham and Kamo sharp shooting for Canterbury.

1 min

Canterbury straight on the attack and earn corner, easily cleared

3 mins

All Canterbury so far with Auckland barely out of their half

5 mins

Another Canterbury corner, and then a second one. Clapham to take

7 mins

Hogg breaks on left and centres but nobody connects

9 mins

Freekick by Clapham just wide.

11 mins

Corrales out speeds defence and crosses past goalkeeper but poor finish.

12 mins

Another Canterbury corner, taken short but cleared.

13 mins

Barton down injured and off for the moment

15 mins

Barton back on and into fray quickly

17 mins

Auckland get ball in the net but well offside.

18 mins

Feni collects ball near goal but his shot straight at Spoonley

22 mins

Good buildup by Auckland , Koprivcic shot brilliantly saved by Batty.

24 mins

Fifth corner for Canterbury, scrappily cleared

26 mins

Feni making inroads on left but final pass going astray.

28 mins

Another corner for Canterbury, header off bar by  Scwarz, another corner. Shot by Barton parried away by Spoonley

30 mins

Yellow card McDermott for tackle.

34 mins

Feni still dazzling defence but finish poor.

40 mins

Miles heads Feni cross but well wide

44 mins

McDermott breaks clear but shoots straight at goalie

45 plus one

Halftime whistle and the wait goes on for Matt Chandler and Co in the Bay

Auckland replace Pritchett with Thomas

46 mins

We're off again and Canterbury quickly back on the attack. Another corner.

51 mins

Good Auckland buildup but Thomas shoots over bar.

53 mins

Auckland corner cleared behind, then cleared again

55 mins

Corrales weaves way through but shot blocked

56 mins

Canterbury replace McDermott with Attwell

57 mins

Yellow card for Van Steeden tackle

58 mins

Exposito on for Riera.

59 mins

Shot by Barton fumbled by Spoonley but regathered.

61 mins

Poor freekick by Hogg fielded by goalie. No pressure.

65 mins

Corrales shot flies wide after good buildup.

sub for Auckland Kelly on for Koprivcic.

69 mins

Faichnie on for Barton. Immediately has shot blocked by Spoonley

72 mins

It's all Canterbury and they earn another corner, punched away by Spoonley

74 mins

Shot by Corrales saved by Batty, Auckland pressing hard.

75 mins

Van Steeden fastens on to clearance but fires over top. Milne then fires just wide from corner.

77 mins

Milne blows one on one with goalie and then Hogg wastes partial clearance. What a miss!

80 mins

Batty takes a knock but up again.

82 mins

Miles off replaced by Yamamoto.

85 mins

Faichnie clear on right shoots across goal and just misses.

87 mins

freekick by Auckland over goalie but over goal.

88 mins

GOAL! Faichnie floats cross from right and Yamamoto steers it home.

90 mins

Three mins to be added.

90 plus four

Final whistle bCanterbury beat Aucckland and will play Waitakere at Fred Taylor on Sunday