Highlights | Preview | Wrap
AC News WU News WF News HB News YHM News TW News CU News OU News
| Auckland City | Team Wellington |
|
1 | NZFC - Round 11 Kiwitea Street Saturday 31 January, 2009 | 3 | |
Ivan Vicelich 81 | Luis Corrales 75 | ||
| |||
Halftime: 0-0 Referee: Matt Conger Crowd: 623
by Bob Pearce at Kiwitea Street
It was the third win in a row for Wellington over Auckland and nobody could say they didn't deserve it. They out-passioned, outsped and out-thought the Aucklanders and when the chances came in the second half they had the finish for a convincing scoreline. Wellington coach Stu Jacobs told his team they lacked spark after they were hammered by Hawke's Bay last week. He demanded that they come back this time "bouncing off the walls." That may have been an exaggeration but they never gave Auckland any peace. Luis Corrales, who had been unimpressive in his first trip north to Waitakere this season, showed his true colours with the opening goal and a deft touch to lay on the second for Andy Barron. The first half was forgettable. Several chances for both sides but neither goalkeeper was called on for much of a save. The key moment may have come when Auckland's new signing, Adam Dickinson, went off with a leg injury. It began to look like a one-goal game until Corrales produced a special bit of magic to open the scoring in the 75th minute. A freekick by Ross McKenzie found the Costa Rican in the penalty area and he flipped the ball over his shoulder into the net.
Auckland responded quickly with captain Ivan Vicelich heading home a rare corner from Ki-Hyung Lee but Wellington sealed the game in injury time when substitute Bryan Little took advantage of a depleted defence to add Wellington's third. Jacobs was justifiably thrilled by his team's reversal of form after the massive disappointment the week before. "It sums up the squad we've got and shows just what we can do," he said. "In the second half we had two or three chances before we scored. They had some gilt-edged chances but didn't score. "Corrales definitely has the x-factor for us, but he hasn't done it before against the big sides. I thought Andy Barron and Michael Pickering were strong for us in the middle of the park and that made it easier for Luis." Auckland coach Paul Posa, usually the most diplomatic of men, was clearly unhappy with the way some of his team played. "It was so disappointing," he said. "I'm not going to single out any players. That's for me to sort out. I think there have to be changes. "It was disappointing to lose Dickinson after such a short time and also Adam McGeorge with a hamstring. They were the two guys we'd introduced to make a difference." The race for second place in the league behind Waitakere has hotted up with Hawke's Bay maintaining their lead over Auckland. The two are due to meet next Friday at Park Island. Wellington's next game is against Otago in Dunedin on Sunday. Photos: Shane Wenzlick www.phototek.co.nz |
Auckland City | V | Team Wellington |
1 Ross Nicholson (GK) | 1 Jake Gleeson (GK) | |
3 Matt Friel | 3 Steven Gulley | |
5 Matt Williams | 6 Michael Pickering | |
6 Ki-Hyung Lee | 7 Sam Blackburn (Little 65) | |
7 James Pritchett (Carella 63) | 8 Peter Howe | |
14 Keryn Jordan | 9 Ross McKenzie | |
15 Ivan Vicelich (Captain) | 10 Luis Corrales | |
18 Adam Dickinson (Nikolic 22) | 13 Karl Whalen | |
20 Greg Uhlmann | 14 Sam Jenkins | |
22 Xavi Roca | 17 Andy Barron | |
25 Adam McGeorge (Coombes 53) | 22 Adam Birch (Captain) | |
Substitutes | Substitutes | |
4 Sam Campbell | 5 Michael Eager | |
8 Chad Coombes (in 53) | 21 Bryan Little | |
12 John Fletcher (RGK) | 23 Tim Schaeffers | |
17 Allan Carella (in 64) | 24 James McPeake (RGK) | |
24 Milos Nikolic (in 22) | 25 Paul Whitmarsh (in 88) | |
|
|
|
|
Auckland opt to start new signing Adam Dickinson up front. Allan Carella on bench | |
0 mins | Brisk cross wind, sunny skies |
4 mins | Freekick to Auckland by Lee, Friel hits post |
14 mins | Blackburn shot mishandled by Nicholson but he regathers quickly |
16 mins | Yellow card Uhlmann for two-footed tackle. |
18 mins | Yellow card Whalen Dickinson off field injured, replaced by Nicolic |
22 mins | Barron long-range shot, well saved. |
29 mins | Nikolic shot rebounds wide. |
31 mins | Jenkins wastes good cross with wild shot. |
38 mins | Pritchett picks out Jordan, who shoots over top |
45 mins | No score, with several missed chances but neither goalkeeper forced into great saves. |
46 mins | Quick break by Wellington sees Corrales in clear but shot blocked by Nicholson |
48 mins | Volley by Barron curves just outside post. Yellow card Friel |
50 mins | Great cross from right by Nikolic, Jordan header hits post |
53 mins | Corrales tests Nicholson but ball blocked. |
54 mins | McGeorge replaced by Coombes. |
59 mins | Coombes shot sails over bar. |
64 mins | Yellow card Howe for tackle on Lee. |
65 mins | Carella on for Pritchett, Black burn replaced by Little |
69 mins | Lee freekick, kneed by Friel, saved by Gleeson. |
75 mins | GOAL! Freekick by McKenzie flicked over shoulder by Corrales over keeper. |
78 mins | GOAL! Corales beats two feeds Barron who rifles shot past Nicholson |
81 mins | GOAL! Vicelich header from Lee corner. Game on. |
84 mins | Howe heads over top from freekick |
88 mins | Nikolic soft shot when clear for goal. |
89 mins | Sub Wellington Barron off Whitmarsh on |
90 plus three | GOAL! Little left on his own scores against depleted defence. |
Wellington kept their playoff hopes alive while the alarm bells are ringing at Kiwitea Street after the visitors won 3-1.
Three minutes later it was 2-0 and again Corrales was instrumental in the goal. He tantalised the Auckland defence before providing a perfect pass for Andy Barron to drive home.
=2 yellow cards
= red card