Auckland City

Team Wellington

1

ASB Premiership - Semi final (Second leg)
Kiwitea Street, Auckland
Sunday 29 April
Team Wellington win 4-1 on aggregate

3

Manel Exposito 71'

Henry Fa'arodo 25'
Dakota Lucas 82', 90'

by Bob Pearce at Kiwitea Street
asbpremiership.co.nz

AUCKLAND -Team Wellington travelled to the cauldron of Kiwitea and came away with a place in next weekend’s Grand Final of the ASB Premiership.
 
Taking on Auckland City at their home base, even with a 1-0 lead from the first leg, is a daunting prospect but the boys from the capital were never put off their stride and won 3-1. And nobody could suggest they weren’t worthy winners. 
 
Their task now will be to lift themselves for a battle with Waitakere and the chance of a  Premiership title and a place in the O-League next year.
 
Auckland must regain their mojo as they take on Tefana in the two-leg O-League final series with a place in the FIFA Club World Cup on the line.
 
Wellington came to Auckland with a positive approach and it paid off in the 25th minute. An underhit backpass by David Mulligan was intercepted by the lively Henry Fa’arodo and he had a simple tap-in.
 
Auckland were not without chances of their own but Jonathan Raj and James Musa defended expertly and Raj in particular made a couple of key tackles when the goal opened up. Phil Imray in goal was his usual athletic self.
 
Halftime down 1-0 Auckland came out firing on all cylinders but they were thwarted repeatedly by some poor finishing and sheer bad luck. Striker Manel Exposito hit the post three times before finally getting his reward in the 71st minute.
 
Still time for a comeback and the home team threw men forward. But the gaps opened up at the back and Dakota Lucas made them pay with goals in the 82nd and 90th minutes which sealed the issue. Late in the piece Exposito got a red card for an off-the-ball incident.
 
Winning coach Matt Calcott said before the game that Wellington would come north with a positive attitude and he happily celebrated the success of that approach.
 
“We needed to have players forward and we were good on the break,” he said. “The first goal came from putting on pressure.
 
“I thought Johnny Raj did very well in our defence and H (Fa’arodo) was a great pickup for us in the transfer window.
 
“But we will have to play differently against Waitakere in the final because they’ve got some of their speedy players back now.”
 
His star-studded team have enjoyed a season of success and they have only stuttered in the last few games, so Auckland coach Ramon  Tribulietx was down but not out.
 
“We must congratulate Wellington and wish them the best in the final,” he said. “We’ve got to come back together and give it our best in the O-League final. Throughout my life I’ve always stood up again after a setback.
 
“Their early goal was a mental hit. We had to take risks but it didn’t happen for us. We tried our best in the second half and we hit the post three times.”
 
If Wellington can reproduce the form they showed in the sun-drenched Kiwitea St game, they will give Waitakere a run for their money and perhaps reward their coach with the O-League slot he has dreamed about but never taken for granted.

Auckland City

V

Team Wellington

1 Jacob Spoonley (GK)

1 Phil Imray (GK)

5 Angel Berlanga

4 Michael Eagar

7 James Pritchett (Hogg, 64')

5 Johnny Raj

8 David Mulligan (Riera, 65')

6 Darren Cheriton

9 Manel Exposito

7 Wiremu Patrick (Galbraith, 76')

10 Luis Corrales (Coombes, 60')

9 Patrick Fleming

11 Daniel Koprivcic

10 Dakota Lucas

13 Alex Feneridis

11 Henry Fa'arodo

14 Adam Dickinson

19 James Musa (Schaeffers, 90+4')

15 Ivan Vicelich

20 Luke Rowe

22 Andrew Milne

22 Jusin Gulley

Substitutes

Substitutes

3 Ian Hogg (Pritchett, 62')

2 Tim Schaeffers (Musa, 90+4')

6 Chad Coombes (Coralles, 57')

12 Ethan Galbraith (Patrick, 77')

12 Liam Anderson (RGK)

17 Dom Rowe

16 Albert Riera (Mulligan, 67)

18 Michael Fifi

23 Simon Arms

27 Scott Basalaj (RGK)

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

0 mins

Beautiful autumn day with sun and a light breeze

0 more mins

Teams much as expected. Plenty of familiar faces for Wellington, including Johnny Raj (ex-Auckland) and Dakota Lucas (ex Waitakere).

0 more mins

Good crowd pouring in and they are hopeful but not over confident about an Auckland victory. Should be a great contest. My money's on ....a good game!

Auckland playing away from th clubhouse, any wind is across the ground

We're off with Wellington kicking off.

2 mins

Freekick to Auckland but no progress

3mins

Quick raid by Wellington, pressing on right, Auckland defend in numbers.

4 mins

Wellington haveball in net but well offside.

5 mins

Aucklad in clear but Corrales shot blocked by Eagar.

^ mins

Left wing corner to Auckland, poor ball.

7 mins.

Dangerous cross by Gulley, caught by Spoonley.

9mins

Koprivcic shot saved by Imray, followup by Corrales blocked by Raj.

11 mins

Useful cross by Fleming nobody home.

13 mins

Freekick to Wellington on edge of area, Luke Rowe shoots but easily handled by Spoonley

14 mins

Snap shot from distance by Exposito just wide.

17 mins

Another Wellington freekick a bit , Fleming over the bar.

20 mins

Right wing corner for Auckland, fielded by Imray.

25 mins

GOAL! Mulligan has brain fade and rolls the ball too softly to goalie. Fa'arodo nips in and scores te easiest of goas.

28 mins

Lucas escapes defence but cross/shot rolls by to opposing touch

29 mins

Kiwitea crowd are stunned.

30 mins

Freekick on edge of area to Auckland for foul by Musa, who gets yellow. Mulligan delivers but Vicelich header easy for goalie.

32 mins

Another Luke Rowe shot from freekick, goalie's ball.

41 mins

Right wing corner Wellington, cleared by Berlanga.

45 mins

Halftime 1-0 to Wellington, 2-0 on aggregate. Halftime no time added.

We're off again. No changes at the break but some must be coming for Auckland.

47 mins

Auckland quickly on the attack but no finish.

48 mins

Quick response by Wellington but Fa'arodo stretches too far and fires ove top.

49 mins

Pritchett crosses from right and Milne misses with sidefoot from close range.

54 mins

Exposito header off post and cleared.

60 mins

Coombes on for Corrales.

61 mins

Corner for Wellington earnred by Fa'arodo but ball sails over everyone.

64 mins

Hogg on for Pritchett

66 mins

Two shots on goal by Exposito bot hit post and stayed out. Milne provided the first.

69 mins

Riera on for Mulligan

71 mins

GOAL! Exposito finally gets reward after cross by Dickinson.

76 mins

Galbraith on for Patrick

78 mins

Yellow card Hogg for tackle from behind.

81 mins

GOAL! Dakota Lucas wins race with Spoonley for another loose pass.

84 mins

RED Card! Exposito off for offball incident

90 mins

GOAL! Lucas in clear as Auckland push everyone forward. 3-1