Aotearoa Domestic Football Roundup – March 31
Men’s Central League
Last week we got the two Northern competitions (properly) underway and this week the rest of the country got its turn. Even the Women’s Central League which last year started a month or so after everyone else, that’s been expanded from eight teams to ten and thus has gotten underway with an even schedule. More on that very soon... but first let’s do the Men’s Central League which began with a fascinating match between the two sides that tied for second-place last year: Western Suburbs vs Napier City Rovers.
Wests have kept most of the side that got them to the 2024 National League, including Seb Barton-Ginger who seems to have stayed on permanently after his very solid MNL loan. Ex-WeeNix winger Kaelin Nguyen has also joined the cause. No more Lucas Meek up top, he’s now playing for Manly United across the ditch, but they have added fellow Americans Jonathan Robinson and Sebastian Sanchez as well as Swedish striker Alex Andersson. Plus Guyana international goalkeeper Quillan Roberts is still hanging out. Napier City Rovers have lost Kiwi/Swedish striker Oscar Faulds after his pro move to Luxembourg club Union Titus Petange, same deal with William Tønning who was so good for them in goal. WT is now with Ängelholms FF in the Swedish third tier. In response they’ve signed a couple English imports alongside the usual crew: goalkeeper Harry Townsend and forward Mason Johnson.
It was a brutal beginning for Western Suburbs when Noah Tipene-Clegg was sent off after twenty minutes and then Sam Lack scored from the resulting free kick. Jack Albertini doubled the lead for NCR on 28’ before Harry Fautley pulled one back for 10-man Wests just before the break. Adam Hewson picked up where he left off last year with a goal on 48’ for Rovers to restore the two-goal advantage. Fautley did get a second on 69’ but that’s where Wests capped out. Napier City Rovers claimed a very useful 3-2 win on the road.
Kicking off simultaneous to that game was the Wellington Phoenix Reserves against Upper Hutt City. UHC were promoted from the Capital Premier division last year after beating Palmerston-North Marist 4-2 on aggregate in the playoff, replacing the relegated Stop Out. Upper Hutt’s director of football is none other than Rory Fallon who used to work in the Wellington Phoenix Academy... and has signed a few ex-WeeNixers to fill out his UHC squad: Blake Chandler, Alex Braakhuis, and Mick Reid.
But Chris Greenacre’s Wellington Phoenix Reserves shape to be pretty dangerous this year with a lot of last year’s group still young enough to partake. Luke Mitchell is the only fresh face, the former Hamilton Wanderers midfielder, who played for Eastern Suburbs in the previous National League. Otherwise it’s a bevvy of familiar names competing for U20 World Cup selection later this year. It was 0-0 at half-time... but goals from Anaru Cassidy (49’), Jack Perniskie (71’), Luke Mitchell on debut (78’), and Ryan Watson (88’) soon sent the WeeNix onwards with a 4-0 victory. None of this WeeNix matchday squad have played A-League yet but captain Xuan Loke has made it to the bench for the top team. Three of the fellas in this prospect watch article were involved. They’ll be decent this year, the WeeNix.
There was a wild game between North Wellington and Island Bay. These two teams were in the relegation mix last season and we’ll see how things shape up this time around but they’re doing what they can to avoid that fate. Island Bay have made a clever addition in the form of Argentine playmaker Tomas Alvarado who’s joined from Waterside Karori, while NW have brought striker Alex Mort back from Napier City and Wilson Souphanthavong should go well for them too (he was an NZ U20s international a couple years ago). Paul Owaci gave Island Bay the lead on 11’ but Paulo Bjorck equalised on 18’. Joaquin Pedron then restored that lead on 27’ but once again North Wellington responded, this time via Benjamin McMillan on 28’. Alvarado then scored on debut (40’) to ensure an Island Bay lead at the break yet that only lasted until Alex Mort’s 53rd minute goal. Three equalisers for North Wellington in a 3-3 draw.
Matthew Brazier was a breakthrough player for Petone two years ago, winning the Central League Golden Boot. That earned him a move to Christchurch United where he wasn’t nearly as effective so now he’s back with Petone... who lost 2-1 at home against Waterside Karori in week one. The Petone goalscorer isn’t up on the website so dunno when or how that happened but can tell ya that Sam Mitrakas (68’) and Ahmad Othman (79’) got the goals for Karori. There must have been some shenanigans at play here because Sam Pickering was sent off for Petone with about ten minutes left and both Sean Matthews (P) and Ihaia Delaney (WK) got red cards at the very end.
Finally, there was a good old rivalry game between Wellington Olympic and Miramar Rangers. The big signings for Olympic are English/Cypriot defender Alex Solomon and former WeeNix wing-back Noah Boyce who has finished up at Manhattan College in the USA. Biggest signing for Miramar is 20yo NZ youth international Theo Ettema who joins them from none other than Wellington Olympic. Anyway, Olympic won 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Isa Prins after seven minutes, teed up by Hamish Watson. Ronaldo Munoz did hit the crossbar from a Miramar free kick in the second half but that was as close as they got. Isa Prins was one of the standouts in a disappointing National League effort from the Greeks last season, in fact he was one of the standouts among all MNL youngsters. There were definite burnout vibes about how Olympic finished 2024 but they must have refreshed themselves over the summer because most of the same core are back to make amends in 2025 as they chase a fifth Central League title in a row.
Women’s Central League
Changes are afoot in the old W-League. As mentioned earlier, the competition has expanded from eight teams to ten in 2025 (with the top two getting assisted entry in the National League again). Seatoun have disappeared with relegation which means that three new clubs are on the scene: Miramar Rangers, Palmerston North United, and the Wellington Phoenix U18s. That last one is a very funky one because in the past two years of having age grade women’s teams, the Phoenix have mostly kept them playing in boys competitions (with the exception of the U20s in the Kate Sheppard Cup). Presumably the U20s/Reserves will remain in the Boys U15 Capital Development League where they were relatively competitive last year (winning 7/22 games)... however the U18s struggled in that competition (winning only 3/22 games with a -96 goal difference) so they’re going to play Women’s Central League instead. It sounds weird that the third team is playing seniors whereas the second team is in an U15s league but it’s all about physicality. There are 15/16 year olds in that U18s team who just aren’t going to be able to muscle up against young men and losing games every week isn’t great for development. Hence this is a fairer situation... and anyway there’s a high chance that players will go between both squads, experiencing a mixture of boys physicality and senior women competitiveness. It’s relatively early days for the Phoenix Academy’s female side and they’re still tinkering in search of the ideal balance.
There was no stress in week one for the Wellington Phoenix U18s because they hosted last year’s beaten National League finalists Waterside Karori, perennial title contenders in this competition, and whipped them 4-0 with goals from Mackenzie Bryant (50’), Maisy McDonald (57’), Isabella Temple (78’), and Amelia McClintock (81’). There were some Nixers with strong WNL experience out there (Emily Humphrey, Katie Pugh, Mackenzie Bryant, Holly Robins) but there were also a lot of the next generation too. That includes Isabella Temple who is the daughter of ALW coach Paul Temple. It also includes Kya Solomon who has joined from Taradale and Freya Des Fountain who was previously with Roslyn-Wakari. Solomon played heaps for Central Football in the Nats while FDF debuted for Southern in the final round... against Waterside Karori.
So what’s happened to the Wharfies? Unfortunately, there’s serious rebuilding potential about them after coach Tory Schiltgen left to join the Phoenix set-up. Schiltgen didn’t take up any old office job either... she’s coaching this very same Nix U18s squad so her first competitive task was to beat her old club. But, yeah, other than Renee Bacon, Jennifer Larrick, Nicola Ross, and Annie Foote this was an almost unrecognisable WKAFC squad. Might see a few others filter in as the year progresses. Might also see some others pop up with other clubs around the country. Daphne Ranta’s already done so with Fencibles, as has Tui Dugan with Auckland United. Nikki Furukawa has joined South Melbourne in the NPL. A couple other internationals have probably left. Could be a tricky campaign for the Wharfies. Only three of these players also started the WNL final in December (Foote, Bacon & Ross)…
Only one other fixture took place in week one of the Central League and that was Moturoa teaching newbies Palmerston North United a lesson with a 3-0 victory on the road. Palmerston-North Marist are also in this division there’s going to be plenty of Palmy Derbies this year. Sasha Rasmussen scored all three goals for Moturoa (23’, 34’, 82’). Rasmussen was a key player for Central in the 2024 Nats so stands to reason that she’d be ripping it up over here.
Men’s Southern League
This lot kicked off with promoted Wānaka FC hosting Universities of Canterbury... and winning 1-0 courtesy of a 55th minute Jake Thompson goal. That already puts them ahead of the team they’ve replaced in the top flight of South Island football: FC Twenty11 who were relegated with 0 wins, 1 draw, and 17 defeats in 2024. Hopefully Wānaka can keep up this level of competitiveness... a couple names that pop off the teamsheet are former Phoenix Academy lads Stephen Sprowson and Louis Wickremesekera.
Other than that result, the wins were all pretty comfortable ones... at least in the end. Nelson Suburbs did need to score twice in stoppages to be safe in a 4-1 home win vs Ferrymead Bays. Marcello Riley (52’) and Sebastian Hickman (61’) had them in front before Luca Marson (68’) narrowed the gap. But goals from Ben Polak and Hickman’s second sorted that one out. What’s more, Nelson Suburbs had to do it with ten men after Samoan international Dauntae Mariner was sent off late in the first half while the game was still level. Hickman was a half-time sub who then scored a game-defining double so shout out to that guy.
Coastal Spirit are coming off their greatest ever year, going all the way to the semis of the Chatham Cup and earning National League qualification. They weren’t able to convince David Yoo to stick around and Alex Steinwascher has gone back to the USA so consolidating their 2024 success won’t be easy... but they’ve started with a splash. Coastal won 5-1 against Dunedin City Royals with all the damage done in the first forty-five. There were doubles for Liam Cotter (20’ & 45’) and Weston Bell (25’ & 31’) while Alex Meaclem also got in on the action (45’) while DCR’s goal, scored by Brady Jacobs, didn’t occur until right at the end.
That’s the same thing Cashmere Technical did away against Selwyn United: a 5-1 victory. Difference is, Cashy Tech did most of their mahi in the second half. Garbhan Coughlan did give them a 20th minute lead... though they had to wait until Yusuf van Dam (52’), Lyle Matthysen (59’), Coughlan again (68’) and Gabriel Galloway (79’) for the rest of it. Otis Meyers scored after 72 minutes for Selwyn. Looks like Cashmere have kept all their big dawgs around for yet another crack at it, although take note of 18yo defender Curtis Gray getting the start amidst them.
The team with the most to prove in this division is Christchurch United after they tumbled out of the National League spots last year following the switch from the Paul Ifill era to the Ryan Edwards era. They suffered a scare when Caleb Johnson put Nomads United up 1-0 after ten minutes of the new season... but not to worry. The Rams have recruited with heavy ambition, including Japanese striker Shogo Osawa (joining from the Aussie NPL) who levelled things up on debut after 33 mins then another new addition, former WeeNix forward Joshua Tollervey, scored two minutes later to put Christchurch Utd ahead. They ended up winning 4-2. Tollervey scored another on 51’, Johnson responded for Nomads on 58’, then Joel Stevens sealed the deal on 90’. There’s a fascinating Central League flavour to this United squad since they’ve also scooped up Charlie Beale (WeeNix midfielder), Josh Rogerson (Ole Academy/Miramar Rangers), and Oliver van Rijssel (same as Rogerson), while local hero Eddie Wilkinson has returned after a year with Wellington Olympic. Ryan Edwards used to coach Petone so that makes sense. They were also captained by former South African pro Travis Graham so it’s a very different looking Rams team this year.
Women’s South Island League
Here’s another division that’s been expanded with this new season. For the last two years, the South Island League has been a six-team comp that began mid-year after regional qualifiers. Three from Mainland, two from Southern, and a playoff between the next best of each. This year we’re going full season with nine teams (six from Mainland, three from Southern) doing the proper double round robin format. Sounds like there’ll still be the two federation teams when it comes to National League happenings but this obviously paves the way for club-based qualification down the road. Potentially as soon as next year.
Nelson Suburbs got the bye first up, unlucky for them. Dunedin City Royals have a squad built up of the spine of recent Southern United squads so they’ll likely be the main threat to topple the Coastal Spirit/Cashmere Technical axis of power and opening week was a profitable one for them thanks to a 5-0 win against Halswell United. Goals from Kylie Jones (3’ & 15’), Rose Morton (16’), Amy Hislop (63’), and Georgia Kennedy (73’). Great to see Hislop amongst the goals – she went to play in Oz last year but got injured and it was only towards the end of National League that she finally returned. One of the best strikers on the domestic scene when she’s fit and firing.
Also experiencing a hefty win straight away was Coastal Spirit. Goals from Ashlyn Gillespie-Nye (5’), Kate Berry (7’), and Mischa Myers (18’) had them 3-0 up after twenty against Roslyn-Wakari. The latter got one back on 47’ when Catriona Galvin scored from the penalty spot... but Gillespie-Nye scored another on 58’ for a 4-1 Coastal Spirit victory. Paul Ifill’s daughter Romy Ifill started for RWAFC. Curiously, there weren’t any notable Canterbury United players in the Coastal side, which is coached by goalkeeper Kelly Almond. But they might be onto something there because double goal-scorer Ashlyn Gillespie-Nye is 16 years old and was one of at least four players in that starting eleven who are still high school age, including one of the other goal scorers, Myers, who is only 15yo.
Meanwhile, Cashmere Technical were surprisingly beaten 2-1 away against Otago University. A double for Leila Hausia-Haugen (4’ & 20’) gave the home side an early lead that they were able to hang onto the rest of the way, even after Emma Kench (47’) got Technical back within striking distance. Unlike Coastal, Cashmere Tech do have a squad stacked with WNL talent (Kate Loye, Darsha Keoghan, Patra Buyck, Claudia Wilson, Amber Bennett, Denva Perrott, etc.) but the Uni students, captained by Southern United’s Samantha Woolley, got the best of them here.
Finally, NW United (a combo of Nomads AFC and Waimak United) rode a fantastic first half towards victory away to Universities of Canterbury. They won 4-0 with the goals supplied by Rebecca Hewitt (4’ & 8’), Rebecca Gillett (38’), and Hollie Carlisle-Reeve (45’). NW United was started up last year with an aim towards getting into the National League next year when the club-based model is expected to arrive. Looks like they might be a fun one to track.
Men’s Northern League
Auckland City got their OFC Champions League defence underway with a 1-0 win against AS Pirae (Tahiti), Dylan Manickum scoring the only goal in the 41st minute. Good for them. They’ve already snuck in a couple of extra Northern League games to clear space for that trip – winning three from three – and are gaining traction without even playing because they’re already the only perfect team left and it’s only been two weeks. Tauranga City are the sole other team with two wins and that’s because they’ve played three times (including one of ACFC’s uncatch-ups).
TCAFC’s second victory was a 3-2 triumph against the Auckland FC Reserves. Tauranga led through Colby Brennan after five mins. AFC scrapped back with goals from James Taylor (15’) and Ralph Rutherford (26’). Morgan Wellsbury levelled on 41’. Then Van Fitzharris won it in the 86th minute, the 17yo with the decisive strike. Looking at AFC’s team, it was pretty similar to last week except that Shivam Nair and Rutherford were elevated to start. Plus Blake Callinan was in goal and Oli Middleton played more centrally. There was a cameo from Luka Vicelich off the bench, while Nicholas Gaze and Matt D’Hotman also played having not been involved in week one.
Eastern Suburbs won 3-1 against Fencibles in an East Auckland clash at Riverhills Park. Nice to see Aaryan Raj back in the Subs lineup. Also nice to see Jake Mechell up and running with a 15th minute goal. Joby Reid (56’) and Eber Ramirez (62’) also scored before Russell Currie got one back at the death for Fencies. Also, if Manurewa AFC were hoping for better fortunes after losing 1-0 to Auckland City in game one, that didn’t happen. They hosted Western Springs and were beaten 3-0. Jordan Hackett (5’), Dawson Straffon (36’), and Ben Wallace (47’) scored for the Swans.
It was a back-and-forth affair between East Coast Bays and Birkenhead United. Michael Suski scored for Birko after 14 mins but Billy Jones levelled up just before the half. Curtis Hughes then scored straight after it before Guy-Frank Essome-Penda put ECB on even terms again after 58 mins. They couldn’t sustain it though. Rohun Kawale (70’) and Hughes (90’) hit the net for Birkenhead to take a 4-2 win back home with them. Curtis Hughes was at the front of a clump of exciting, quick, skilled young forwards at Birkenhead United last year and he’s seen a bunch of the others move on, especially to Auckland FC Reserves. That might have been his fate if he was one year younger (he turns 21 this month) so lovely to see him banging in important goals. He’ll be a key forward for Birko in 2025.
That leaves Auckland United against Bay Olympic. Very similar story to last week for United. They conceded first when Giovanni Peredo struck after 29 mins but again the comeback was on point. Emiliano Tade made it two goals in two games with a 69th minute equaliser... then Ishveer Singh won it deep into stoppage time. 2-1 to Auckland United. Singh’s been on the fringes for a couple of years so perhaps this time, under the tutelage of Tade (and of course coach Jose Figueira), he’ll break through. Bay Olympic beat Eastern Suburbs last week but they couldn’t hold on for another scalp this time.
Women’s NRFL Premiership
With all that said, it’s now time to talk about the craziest thing that happened across all domestic football. The fact that Anna Leat is playing for Hibiscus Coast is wild enough. This is a possible first-choice international goalkeeper who was most recently with Aston Villa in the English WSL. Sure, she’s just staying busy as she takes a spell away from the spotlight... but it’s still nuts to have such an accomplished player at this stage of her career playing in the NFRL Prem. It’s all good though, just in case opponents were fretting about the unfairness of it all... Leat’s balancing things by playing in the outfield. That’s not a lie. The Coasties hosted Fencibles on Friday night and incumbent Sasha Brett was in goal while #14 Anna Leat battled away somewhere else in the starting eleven...
Not sure where she played or how she did but Leat did get the full ninety minutes out there. The Eastern Suburbs vs Hibiscus Coast game is being live-streamed by NRFL next week so we’ll be able to find out then (unless anyone was at the game on Friday and can educate the rest of us further – DMs are open). Anyway, Jessica Smith put the Coast in front after 19 minutes but by half-time they found themselves in deficit after goals from Rosie Missen and Mikaela Bangalan. But Aneka Mittendorff’s 53rd minute goal ensured a share of the points with a 2-2 draw, both sides still searching for their first wins. With Leat and Missen both involved, that means that there was a former West Ham United player on each team.
Western Springs versus West Coast Rangers shaped up as a frisky duel between a couple of National League sides... but last year’s hierarchy prevailed with West Coast Rangers grabbing a 3-1 win. Marissa Porteous (12’), Maisy Dewell (32’), and Lorna Selby (45’) did what needed doing there. Sienna Makwana scored the Springs goal on 52’. Disappointing for the home side but there were three beacons of positivity to be found on the bench. Arisa Takeda didn’t play but awesome to see she’s returned for another year (haven’t seen Rina Hirano’s name on a teamsheet yet but if Takeda’s there then she’ll surely be around too). Someone who did play off the bench was Anna McPhie, the Nelson midfielder who was excellent for Canterbury United last year, she’s obviously made the shift north. Also Katie Rood got twenty minutes to mark her return from an ACL tear suffered with Hearts in the Scottish Premiership. Rood’s already been heavily involved on the coaching side with Springs, now she’s ready to bang in a few goals as well.
There were two National League duels this week because Eastern Suburbs also hosted Auckland United. The Lilywhites were the last team to beat AUFC and they gave them a fright by taking a 32nd minute lead through Kenya Brooke. But you know how it goes with Auckland United. They were only behind for about two minutes before Saskia Vosper tied things up, then Ava Pritchard (51’) and Zoe Benson (73’) sealed a 3-1 win for the defending champs of everything (NRFL Prem, Kate Shepp Cup, OFC CL & Nat League). United’s undefeated streak is now at 51 games. The shining hope for the rest of the division – and it’s a genuine one – is that Auckland FC gobbles up a significant chunk of this United squad when they start compiling their women’s team (Eastern Suburbs coach Katie Duncan is one of the head coaching candidates for AFC, not sure what’s taking them so long to announce anything there... the sooner they get a coach, the sooner they can sign some players).
And finally, Tauranga Moana are the only team to have lost in both rounds. This after Briana Osbourne’s 84th minute goal proved too little, too late against Ellerslie in a 2-1 defeat. The scorers for the Ponies were Anita Trudgen (54’) and Kathryn Gow (74’) – both of whom were important figures when Ellerslie made the National League two years ago.
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