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By NZF Media / asbpremiership.co.nz
AUCKLAND – Waitakere United has a chance to lift its third consecutive title and its fourth overall when they meet Team Wellington in the ASB Premiership Grand Final at The Trusts Stadium on Saturday night.
Waitakere, who line up for their fourth Grand Final in five seasons, would cement their place as undisputed kings of New Zealand domestic football with a third straight title victory, their fourth in eight seasons overall. A win would also see the West Auckland outfit return to the O-League next season and earn another shot at qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2013.
Meanwhile, Team Wellington is chasing a treble dream all their own. Coach Matt Calcott snared the club’s first ever silverware when the capital men swept aside Waikato FC to win the inaugural White Ribbon Cup. But victory in Saturday’s showpiece final would not only hand Wellington its first ever ASB Premiership title, it would see the club become the first non-Auckland side to become national champions and lift them into next season’s O-League competition.
Waitakere have stuttered throughout a turbulent season but look at have hit form at the right time with Roy Krishna and Ryan de Vries in ruthless mood during the 5-3 aggregate win over Canterbury United in the semi-finals, an indication that their own big-game players are ready to fire at the business end of the season.
Team Wellington opened the season with just one win from their first five games but since then they have successfully navigated the remainder of their campaign with just one defeat – a 3-1 loss to Waitakere in Round 12 of the regular season.
Last week’s 3-1 win over Auckland City ensures Wellington enter this Grand Final brimming with confidence and they won’t lack any motivation in trying to wrestle the ASB Premiership back to the capital, and end an Auckland City-Waitakere United stranglehold that has lasted eight years.
Waitakere United and Team Wellington last met in an ASB Premiership Grand Final at Trusts Stadium in Henderson in 2008 with the West Aucklanders winning 2-0. An own goal by Wellington’s Karl Whalen and a strike by Allan Pearce were enough to hand Waitakere its first ASB Premiership title that day and broke Auckland City’s three-in-a-row championship sequence.
Waitakere United | Team Wellington | ||
In: | Five players from the 2008 Grand Final winning squad feature in Neil EMBLEN’s squad selection - Roy KRISHNA, EMBLEN, Chris BALE, Jake BUTLER and Allan PEARCE. PEARCE scored in the 2008 final. Tim MYERS returns from suspension. | Veteran defenders Karl WHALEN and Jamie DUNCAN are omitted while five players from the 2008 Grand Final squad – Wiremu PATRICK, Michael EAGAR, Darren CHERITON, Tim SCHAEFFERS and Phil IMRAY – line up for coach Matt CALCOTT. | |
Out: | - |
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Players: | Reece LAMBERT – Oceania’s FIFA Interactive World Cup champion – is also named in the squad. | Sam MASON-SMITH’s broken foot means he misses out on a Grand Final squad spot. | |
Vital Stats: | Waitakere United have won five of their previous five encounters with Team Wellington a record that stretches back to a 2-1 semi-final, second leg, win in last season’s ASB Premiership. The two clubs have met five times in play-off and Grand Final history with Waitakere notching four wins and one defeat. | Team Wellington last defeated Waitakere United two years ago in the ASB Premiership semi-final, first leg, when they grabbed a dramatic 3-2 win in the capital. Wellington lost the return leg 2-1 and missed out on the Grand Final on the away goals rule after Brent FISHER scored an injury time winner for Waitakere. |
ASB Premiership - Grand Final | Team Wellington Saturday 28 April, 2012 | |
1- Danny ROBINSON (GK) | 1- Phil IMRAY (GK) | |
2- Jason ROWLEY | 2- Tim SCHAEFFERS | |
3- Aaron SCOTT | 4- Michael EAGAR | |
4- Tim MYERS | 5- Johnny RAJ | |
7- Martin BULLOCK | 6- Darren CHERITON (c) | |
8- Chris BALE | 7- Wiremu PATRICK | |
10- Allan PEARCE | 9- Patrick FLEMING | |
11- Ross McKENZIE | 10- Dakota LUCAS | |
12- Roy KRISHNA | 11- Henry FA'ARODO | |
16- Neil EMBLEN | 12- Ethan GALBRAITH | |
17- Jake BUTLER (c) | 16- Campbell PARKIN | |
20- Ryan de VRIES | 17- Dominic ROWE | |
22- Matt UPTON (GK) | 18- Michael FIFII | |
25- Sean LOVEMORE | 19- James MUSA | |
26- Reece LAMBERT | 20- Luke ROWE | |
27- Ross HAVILAND | 22- Justin GULLEY | |
29- Jordan VALE | 25- Scott BASALAJ (GK) | |
30- Rory TURNER | - one to be omitted | |
- two to be omitted |
Waitakere United
