Aotearoa Domestic Football Roundup – June 16
Women’s NRFL Premiership
It was only a fortnight ago that the previous cup rounds took place but the games keep flowing so it was time for third round fixtures in both the Chatham Cup and Kate Sheppard Cup. Because of that, there were no men’s top division games played and only three women’s top division matches were able to be squeezed in. But one of those games was this doozy, which deserved a spotlight all to itself: Auckland United versus West Coast Rangers.
This was a top of the table clash, the second of the three NRFL Prem meetings between these two clubs that will in all likelihood determine which direction the trophy travels in. Back in late April, West Coast Rangers were the club that snapped AUFC’s 55-game unbeaten streak with a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Shannon Henson and Minji Yun. However, a shock loss against Ellerslie last week combined with Auckland Utd’s very late winner against Hibiscus Coast overturned that earlier advantage, therefore it was AUFC who this rocked up under the Keith Hay Park lights on Wednesday night sitting top of the table on goal difference.
WCR tended to roll with a back three last year but Andrew Clay’s assumed the coaching duties in 2025 (having been assistant to Andy Dunn previously – Clay was the coach of Glenfield Rovers when they were winning heaps during the 2010s and he also took charge of Northern Lights for a bit, so a very experienced and successful dude) and he’s got them doing a 4-3-3, with captain Marissa Porteous stepping into midfield. Minji Yun was also in the midfield for this one, allowing young Taylor Vujnovich – who is in contention for the NZ U17 World Cup squad later this year – to be picked on the left wing. Auckland United also have a player in the mix for that U17 squad in Ariana Vosper, who would feature off the bench against her former club (she’s not even 15 years old yet and she’s already got a “former club” lol).
It was a really bright start from Rangers for the first 10-15 minutes, knocking the ball around nicely and creating a few hints of chances through the strong work of Emily Lyon up front. But Auckland United soon found their footing. Rene Wasi whipped an effort off the crossbar after quarter of an hour. Lyon soon did the same up the other end from a deep free kick but United were bossing it by then. Chloe Knott missed a good chance to open the scoring, however the home side didn’t have to wait much longer. In the 36th minute, Rangers keeper Sophie Campbell spilled a shot from Wasi and there was Zoe Benson to pounce on the rebound.
The first goal was always gonna be decisive between these two teams... but the second goal, in first half stoppage time, was even more so. Auckland United went two up when Alexis Cook ran through the line and cut the ball back to Rene Wasi who buried it (taking it off the toes of Knott who was running in, but then turning and scoring herself so no dramas). Campbell then made an excellent one-handed stop against Cook to ensure it wasn’t any worse for Rangers at the break.
It got worse afterwards though. Dani Canham scored a banger from outside the box within two minutes of the resumption and AUFC just kept on owning it from there. Cook hit the post. Then eventually Benson scored her second of the day after driving into the area and chopping back mast Kenzie Longmuir (who’d been the best of the WCR defenders). 79 minutes gone. Make that two goals and an assist for Benson in this game to continue her stellar recent form. Mila Morles did get one back for Rangers after 84 mins when she headed home from a Lyon corner, while AUFC sub Ava Pritchard hit the post from a tight angle towards the end. Four goals scored, four woodworks rattled. 4-1 to Auckland United.
That gives the advantage back to AUFC in the title race... but don’t forget these two have gotta meet again in August. If you’re wondering, Auckland United are now 10 games undefeated in all competitions since that other streak ended. That’s including the Kate Shep game that they played after the WCR win because obviously they won that as well (as you’ll read about later). Having mentioned a couple of U17s players involved in this match, might as well add that the Oceania U19s are on in September and Zoe Benson, Kenzie Longmuir, Emily Lyon, and Sophie Campbell should all be in the frame for that.
Women’s Central League
We also had two fixtures over in these parts... starting with Victoria University hosting Petone. Both teams had already been knocked out of the cup, losing in the previous round (Vic Uni lost 1-0 to Miramar; Petone lost 3-1 vs Wellington United) so they rescheduled this game to stay busy. And... Petone were way too good. This wasn’t even close. Pepi Olliver-Bell led the way with a hat-trick, getting her first in just the second minute. Jessica Owens-Blackmore made it 2-0 after 22’. Kate Marra made it 3-0 after 29’. It stayed that way until half-time whereupon POB polished off her three-bagger with goals in the 50th and 62nd minutes. That made it 5-0. And then three more in the space of five mins (JOB 73’, Kyra Elder 74’, and Olivia Gibbs 77’) took it to eight. Nicole Baird then scored the last-minute consolation goal of all consolation goals as the final score checked out at 8-1 to Petone.
That was only Vic Uni’s third goal of the season which is the fewest in the Central League (despite having played more games than some teams). They’ve also conceded the most (36 goals)... yet thanks to some timely outcomes they’re still outrunning Moturoa to be one point above last place. That’s because the other WCL game that took place was Taradale versus Moturoa. Taradale were knocked out of the KSC by Palmy Marist in the previous round while Moturoa didn’t enter at all. Nor did it go very well for them here, as Taradale scored three first-half goals on the way to a 3-0 victory. Samantha Waru (9’, 33’) and Nidar Mao Bun (23’) got those goals. With that, the bottom four teams are only separated by three points with an equal number of matches played.
Taradale have won four and lost four so this result helps them steer clear of that pile-up at the back. As for Petone, they’re now further established in fourth, only one pesky point behind Waterside Karori with better goal difference and equal games played. Wellington United are steaming towards another championship. The Wellington Phoenix U18s are ineligible for National League (since their U20s have a guaranteed spot). Hence that Waterside Karori vs Petone race will decide the other WNL qualifier from this division. Also, with her hat-trick here, Pepi Olliver-Bell climbs to 11 goals for the season which brings her into the stratosphere of Natalie Olson (17), Nicola Ross (13), and Katie Pugh (12) on the Golden Boot Leaderboard. Nobody else has more than seven. Jessica Owens-Blackmore is up to six after her brace this week.
Chatham Cup
And thus we move into the cup fixtures. It was last 32 for the blokes, meaning 16 games played with half of those in the Northern region and then the rest split between Central and Southern. Let’s start with the South because that’s where the round began on Friday night as Christchurch United hosted rivals Cashmere Technical... and won 3-1. Waisea Henry got them started after 15 minutes and Josh Rogerson quickly extended that on 21’. Jago Godden then scored a couple of mins before half-time and with this Rams defence that was all they required. Lyle Matthysen got a very late goal back for Cashmere but that was it. Cool moment for 17yo Waisea Henry in there to get that goal. Godden’s was the pick of the bunch, whipping one in from outside the area (at the second attempt after shot #1 was blocked). CUFC did get away with a handball in the build-up but we’ll glance over that like the ref did. Didn’t make a difference (there was a hint of offside about Matthysen’s so it balances out). The Rams were simply too good.
The other three Southern region games all went to extra time. That made sense when Ferrymead Bays hosted Nelson Suburbs. Those are two evenly matched teams who’ve had very decent seasons so far. Treye Butler gave Bays the lead after three minutes. That’s the way it stayed all the way until Nelson Subs levelled through Marcello Riley on 75’ and then the same lad gave them an 88th minute lead. Would that be the winner? Obviously not because Zachary Bryant’s stoppage time equaliser for the home side sent things to extras... where Lucas Hogg made it 3-2 to Suburbs (99’) before Austin Jeffree made it 4-2 (112’). Kasper Marson gave Ferrymead some hope when he struck with 117’ on the clock. But Brock Cotton’s last-gasp clincher meant that Nelson Suburbs advanced with a 5-2 victory. Three of the Nelson Subs goal-scorers, including Riley with his double, were substitutes.
FC Northern are a second tier club who were drawn against Dunedin City Royals. That didn’t worry them as they produced a defensive shutout through ninety minutes to take their higher-ranked opps into an extra half hour. But DCR’s quality eventually got them home thanks to goals from Hugh Jack (112’) and Jack Julian (120’). 2-0 to Dunedin City. Similarly, Otago University gave it a crack against Wānaka despite being a division below them. They also held it at nil-all after ninety. Then they took matters even further by staying at 0-0 after 120 minutes. However, Wānaka won 3-2 on penalties so that was that. The fourth round will still be regionalised so it’ll be between Christchurch United, Nelson Suburbs, Dunedin City Royals, and Wānaka FC for two spots in the quarters.
Moving into the Central region, shout out to Palmerston North United who were the only home side to win from these four games. PNU beat Stop Out 3-1 in a battle between the last two non-Central League sides in this part of the draw. Patrick Smither (9’) and Benjamin Mori (15’) gave them a lovely start. Ryan Kelly cut the deficit after half an hour. Then Mori got another one in first-half stoppages with no further damage done in the second half.
Other than that, it basically went as expected. The one game that felt like a toss-up was Miramar Rangers vs Napier City Rovers and it may well have been that way on the pitch... but it was Napier City who bossed it on the scoreboard. George Andrew scored moments before the break before new signing Eric Kostandini Ziu (back after a spell in Aussie, the 22yo Italian is best known for his efforts for Manurewa and Bay Olympic) doubled that lead with a goal on debut with quarter of an hour to go. NCR have also just added Jake Williams who played a full game here. JW was an NZ U17 international back in the day, spending time with the Wellington Phoenix Academy before going to USA for university. Now he’s back. Two excellent additions for Rovers. Ethan Spencer also scored in stoppages for a 3-0 final score. There ya go.
Western Suburbs finished with ten men away to Island Bay... though by the time Jamie Wildash-Chan was marched for a second booking after 77 minutes, Wests were already five goals up. Seb Barton-Ginger (2’), Jonathan Robinson (41’), Cameron Mackenzie (62’), Tyler Freeman (67’), and then SBG again from the penalty spot (71’). 5-0 was the final score. Western Suburbs progress. As do Wellington Olympic who won 3-0 on the road against Waterside Karori. Ben Mata scored one (7’) and Jack-Henry Sinclair scored two (45’, 90’). That’s the way to do it. The scorecard claims that coach Paul Ifill was on the bench, just in case, but they didn’t need to use him.
Rightio, have a guess which club we’re talking about next based on their Chatham Cup third round starting eleven:
Areya Prasad (gk), Niko Tarawa (c), Manraj Singh, Mason Shaw, Paris Domfeh, Ryan Ellis, Santino Escolme, Carlos Stulich, Niko Clare, Kaio Martinez, and Samuel Fagan
If you guessed Auckland City then you’re correct, congratulations. ACFC have had to work around their extra-curricular activities all year and this was no different. 27-players and the coaching staff over at the Club World Cup in the USA? Yeah, well, still gotta play against Waiheke United in the cup. Presumably there was no room left on the calendar to reschedule so ACFC threw out the U23s and the wee fellas actually did really well. Ryan Ellis had them leading after four minutes. Unfortunately for them, Federico Cabanal (39’) tied things up and then Felix Timmins-Scanlon won it in the 87th minute. 2-1 to Waiheke United who were already the lowest-ranked team left in the hat and now they’re through to the last sixteen. Waiheke Utd voluntarily relegated themselves to the NRF Men’s League One (fourth tier) at the start of the year. They didn’t clarify why (usually it’s financial) but we’re witnessing quite the cup run from them. Vamos Waiheke.
The next lowest team left in the North was the team from the actual north... Northland FC. Currently top of the Northern Conference by seven points with a game in hand, Northland have been having a super season but welcoming Auckland United to Trigg Stadium was probably always going to be a step too far. So it proved as Emiliano Tade scored a hat-trick (38’, 57’, 90’) in a 3-0 victory for AUFC. They were in that contest for a long way though, fair play. And that’s with United taking a pretty strong squad with them up the state highway.
Eastern Suburbs used an early burst to get past Tauranga City. Noah Karunaratne captained the side and scored after six and sixteen minutes, with Tyler Lissette bagging one in between. 3-0 up inside 20 mins. The usual suspects each scored for TC... but those were matched by further Suburbs goals. Colby Brennan made it 3-1 (25’ TC). Joby Reid made it 4-1 (38’ ES). Eber Ramirez made it 5-1 (73’ ES). Then Morgan Wellsbury made it 5-2 (78’ TC) and that was the way it ended. The Lilywhites clearly had a bit of fun with that.
Birkenhead United have been leading the way in the Northern League by scoring outrageous quantities of goals but they couldn’t find any against West Coast Rangers even despite former Birko midfielder Sam Burfoot being sent off for WCR after only 22 minutes. It was 0-0 after 120 minutes which meant penalties against another Birko old boy: keeper Damian Hirst. But it was his opposite number Silvio Rodic who proved the hero, saving two penalties as Birkenhead won the shootout 4-2.
Fencibles vs Cambridge offered up one crazy game of football. Dylan Laing-McConnell put Fencies ahead after 25 mins but the second tier upstarts, who also went on a cup run last year, were soon 3-1 up early in the second half following goals from Josh Clarkin (32’ pen), Thomas Walters (37’), and Harvey Dempster (53’). But they couldn’t hang on. Walters got sent off after a second yellow (72’) and young Fencibles playmaker Kodie Nicol took over with late double to sent things into extra time. One goal after 80 minutes, one goal after 90 minutes. Finally, Laing-McConnell scored a 118th minute winner for Fencibles who took it 4-3 after extras. Jake Brocklebank (F) and Caeden Rogers (C) were both sent off in the dying stages.
Western Springs needed extra time to get past Hibiscus Coast. Caspar McGavin’s been popping up with a few crucial goals for them lately and he was on hand again in the 104th minute of this match to give them a 1-0 win AET. Ex-Springs keeper Regan Diver was between the sticks for the Coasties. The two teams currently atop the NRFL Men’s Championship in those precious promotion spots are Hamilton Wanderers and Manukau United (two of the three teams that got relegated last year) and those two faced each other in the third round of the cup and sure enough this one went the distance. Boon Ozawa (24’ MU) and Mark Jones (47’ HW) shared the honours as the two teams were finished the ninety at 1-1. Alas, Ozawa also got sent off after an hour so with extra time on the cards that meant a long time playing with ten men. Nah jokes, it didn’t even bother them because Dylan Morris scored in the 113th min and 10-man Manukau won 2-1 after extra time. And they’ll be joined by one other Championship club: Melville United, who won 1-0 against Northern League relegation candidates Manurewa thanks to a second-half goal from Josh Barrymore-Uden. Off the bench after 57 mins, scored the winner after 63 mins.
2025 Chatham Cup Fourth Round:
Northern: Auckland United, Eastern Suburbs, Waiheke United, Manukau United, Western Springs, Melville United, Fencibles United, Birkenhead United
Central: Wellington Olympic, Western Suburbs, Napier City Rovers, Palmerston North United
Southern: Christchurch United, Nelson Suburbs, Dunedin City Royals, Wānaka
Kate Sheppard Cup
Over on this side, we had the last of the regionalised rounds... and they began on Friday night when Wellington United hosted Wellington Phoenix Reserves. The Diamonds dealt the Nix U18s their first defeat in the Central League with a 2-1 result last week... but those were the U18s and these were the U20s. Wellington United only made one change from that eleven with the ever-reliable Hannah Cooper coming into the side but of course it was a very different looking Nix group that they lined up against. The only two crossover players were Poppy O’Brien and Sienna Candy bringing their scouting expertise and otherwise it was a completely different team - including Brooke Neary, Ela Jerez, and Ella McMillan who all have A-League experience. It was 17yo Sienna Candy who decided this match with a 68th minute goal in the pouring rain for a 1-0 victory. That’s the first loss for Wellington United all year and the second season in a row that they’ve been knocked out of the KSC by the Phoenix Reserves.
In the other Central region game, Miramar Rangers took a 1-0 lead away to Waterside Karori when Crystal Phillips scored from the penalty spot after 27 mins. But the Wharfies roared back to win 3-1 thanks to goals from Kya Stewart (43’) and Renee Bacon (55’, 84’).
The Wellington Phoenix got revenge in a rematch against the team that broke their unbeaten streak. The same was true for Otago University. After losing against Dunedin City Royals in the league last week, they rebounded with a 1-0 win against the same opponents with Grace Raymond scoring the goal after 23 mins. Another great result in their fantastic 2025 campaign... marching into the quarters. Also down south we had Cashmere Technical winning 4-0 against Nelson Suburbs. Kate Loye scored three (17’, 37’, 38’) for a first half hatty while Addison Buck got the other one (11’).
How about another rematch? Eastern Suburbs lost against Western Springs in the NRFL Prem a week ago but this time they beat them 2-0 thanks to goals from Victoria Neuefeind (2’) and Cema Nasau (14’) – a couple of their imports doing the business – as well as a red card for Charli Dunn (60’) for Western Springs. Hence these two have met twice since coach Katie Duncan swapped East for West and the ledger is even with a win apiece.
The funkiest result was Franklin United winning 1-0 away against Ellerslie. That’s a second tier team beating a top tier team... making Franklin the only second tier team to advance to the KCS quarters. Sarah Carpenter’s 12th minute goal got the job done. Franklin’s star player is Britney Cunningham-Lee who coincidentally spent the 2023 National League as a loan player with Ellerslie.
And that only leaves the two teams we began this roundup with. Auckland United carried on the way they usually do by winning 8-0 away against Tauranga Moana with Rene Wasi getting three and Zoe Benson scoring twice. The full scoring went: Wasi (5’), Wasi (33’), Chloe Knott (43’), Wasi (52’), Talisha Green (69’), Benson (69’), Alexis Cook (71’), Benson (72’). Seems things got a bit out of hand in the middle of that second half with four goals scored in the space of four minutes.
Meanwhile, West Coast Rangers did concede first against Lakes FC (from Rotorua). It was Chynna Davie after 13 mins. But that was never going to last very long. Taylor Vujnovich got another start and this time she was all over it with a hat-trick. She scored after 17 mins and 35 mins. Mila Morles got another on 37’ to make it 3-1. Freya Lord then made it 3-2 on the brink of half-time. Must have been a little frisky there... so WCR subbed on Emily Lyon and Minji Yun and the game predictably took a turn. Vujnovich completed her hatty on 59’. Laney Strachan scored on 64’. Freya Lord got an own goal to go with her proper one after 64 mins. Then Emily Lyon got in on the action with three of her own (69’, 76’, 83’) while Strachan pocketed a second on 70’. Add that all together and it was 10-2 to West Coast Rangers.
Kate Sheppard Cup Quarter-Finalists:
Wellington Phoenix Reserves, Waterside Karori, Cashmere Technical, Otago University, West Coast Rangers, Auckland United, Eastern Suburbs, Franklin United
Auckland United have won this competition in two of the last three years (and could claim a few more titles through their merger member Three Kings United). But, believe it or not, the only other team left in the draw that has previously won this trophy is Eastern Suburbs. In fact, none of the rest of them have even made the final before. There’s a good chance of some history occurring... if anybody can stop Auckland United. Over in the Chatham Cup, it’s either 6/16 or 8/16 past winners left in the hunt (depending on if you count Onehunga Sports as an Auckland United title and Dunedin Technical as a Dunedin City Royals title). Couple other finalists in that mix too.
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