Auckland City

Waikato FC

5

0

Alex Feneridis 16
Ki-Hyung Lee 45+2
Daniel Koprivcic 48
Matt Williams 52
Grant Young 86

by Bob Pearce at Kiwitea Street
nzfc.co.nz 

Auckland City scored five unanswered goals for the second game in a row as they added victory against Waikato in the NZFC opener at Kiwitea St to their demolition of Manu Ura in the O-League last week. 

The champions had to withstand an opening burst from Waikato before gradually taking control of the game with two goals in the first half and three in the second.

It could have been so different. Paul Gothard, Auckland’s new goalkeeper from Warkworth, had to make a series of brave saves when he had barely been introduced to the league.

The best chance came after just seven minutes when Mike Gwyther won a corner for Waikato. Mauri Wasi found Mikael Munday, whose shot was blocked by Gothard. Gwyther drove the rebound goalwards but Ivan Vicelich stuck out a leg and the chance was gone.

Auckland gradually regrouped and after 16 minutes Ki-Hyung Lee slipped a perfect pass to James Pritchett on the right and Alex Feneridis scored the goal that changed the game.

When Lee added a second in time added on before halftime with a clever shift of direction and a well-placed shot from 25m, it was all uphill for the visitors.

Three minutes into the second half Jason Hayne chased down a ball that looked to be going out and his cross set up Daniel Koprivcic for a tap-in. The fourth goal four minutes later followed a similar path and this time Matt Williams delivered the killing blow.

Grant Young coming on as a substitute late in the piece got on the scoresheet in the 86th minute when he found himself unmarked in a mile of space and had no trouble eluding goalie Sean Dowling.

It could have been more. Fellow substitute Keryn Jordan hit a post with only the goalie to beat and Chad Coombes also hit the post with an angled drive when Dowling had lost the ball.

Auckland coach Paul Posa was very pleased with the performance, but he gave Waikato credit for a strong opening that tested his team.

“They were very committed and they played very well in that opening 20 minutes. Paul Gothard had to make four point-blank saves,” he said.

“We need two keepers having game time and we don’t really know how good Paul is. But he showed real class.”

Posa said he would have Jacob Spoonley starting next week in goal to make sure he got matchplay. Neither goalie was entirely happy about the arrangement but he had to be fair to both.

Waikato player-coach left himself on the bench until near the end as he nurses an ankle injury back to health.

“I’m absolutely gutted with the result,” he said. “We started very well but when the champions score first you know it’s going to be hard. We looked dangerous going forward at times but we struggled defensively.”

Waikato lost defender Jason Chewins to a groin injury early in the second half and they missed his experience. Next up they play Hawkes Bay at Ngaruawahia on Sunday.Auckland travel to Dunedin to play Otago United at Carisbrook.

Images: Photosport

Auckland City

V

Waikato FC

12 Paul Gothard (GK)

1 Sean Dowling (GK)

3 Ian Hogg

4 Charlie Hoyle (Bunce 63)

5 Matt Williams

3 Richard Beard

6 Ki-Hyung Lee

6 Jason Chewins (Stewart 50)

7 James Pritchett

8 David Samson

8 Chad Coombes (McGeorge 79)

24 Mauri Wasi (Te Pou halftime)

11 Daniel Koprivcic (Young 64)

5 Joey Simpkins

13 Alex Feneridis

9 Mikael Munday

15 Ivan Vicelich

14 Dan Peat

16 Jason Hayne (Jordan 60m)

10 Mike Gwyther

20 Greg Uhlmann

13 Shaun van Rooyen (Captain)

Substitutes

Substitutes

4 Sam Campbell

26 Scott Robinson (RGK)

10 Grant Young

2 Che Bunce

17 Adam McGeorge

16 Paul Stewart

19 Keryn Jordan

18 Cory Hitchens

1 Jacob Spoonley (RGK)

7 Tewi Te Pou

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

Beautiful afternoon for the game. Waikato coach Che Bunce starts on the bench. Auckland have Jordan and Young on the bench. Paul Gothard starts in goal

4m

Auckland City press forward but defence clears.

5m

Corner to Waikato, poor delivery easy clearance

6m

Coombes crosses from right but nobody home.

7m

Gwyther earns corner, Wasi delivers to Munday whose shot is well saved by goalie and Gwyther's followup is cleared off line

9m 

Lee freekick cleared for corner, Munday heads clear.

11m

Peat gets one on one with goalie who blocks with hhis legs.

16m

GOAL! Lee provides beautifully waeighted pass to Coombes on the right and Feneridis buries it.

19m

Right wing corner to Auckland Vicelich header just wide.

24m

Hogg gets yellow for foul tackle

29m

Wasi gets free header but loops it over the top

37m

Yellow card to Pritchett for foul on Peat. Freekick blocked

39m

Hayne through but keeper intervenes and ball runs behind

41m

Hayne crosses Coombes beats goalie to ball and his angled shot hits post and stays out as Koprivcic gets foot tied.

43m

Coombes gets ball in net but after handball

45m

Two minutes added and it brings a GOAL! for Lee who beats a defender and fires a right foot drive from 25m past goalie.

Te Pou replaces Wasi for second half in Waikato team

48min 

GOAL!Hayne chases down ball on left and Koprivcic slides in for easy pickings.

52min

GOAL! Hayne again chases down ball on left and Williams has an easy finish.

56m

Koprivcic shoots cleared off line by Beard

60m

Jordan replaces Hayne

63m

Bunce replaces Hoyle

66m

Peat weaves his way past four players but hhis shot is blocked by goalie.

69m

Appeal for penalty for hands by Vicelich rejected Waikato earn first corner since opening stanza but fail to capitalise.

74m

Jordan fires wide when clear from freekick by Lee

79m

Coombes replaced by McGeorge

81m

Williams finds Jordan with through ball but his flick hits the post and stays out

86m

GOAL! Jordan finds Young and the veteran striker marks his return with a goal

Two minutes of time added.

90m

Van Rooyen shot turned round post, ball bounces around from corner but Pritchett.

90 plus one

Gwyther heads over top and game ends