Aotearoa Domestic Football Roundup – August 19
Kate Sheppard Cup
It was semi-final weekend for both of our national cup competitions with the last four clubs in the pots scrapping it out for a trip to North Harbour Stadium. Everybody was now enough to the trophy to start imagine winning the thing but still had the most difficult steps of the journey to make. And in the Kate Sheppard Cup, the you only had to have a look at the line-ups for the teams involved to see the glitz and glamour of the occasion.
Auckland United vs Eastern Suburbs took place at Keith Hay Park on Saturday arvo, an Auckland derby between the only two clubs to have won both the KSC and the National League... admittedly the Nats have only been accessible to club teams since 2022. Both of these teams have made superb midseason additions on top of already stacked squads. Auckland United’s team included recently acquired Football Ferns international Ava Collins up front. It also included ex-Phoenix fullbacks Zoe McMeeken and Saskia Vosper as well as Chloe Knott in midfield - and don’t forget future Nix player Pia Vlok who is trying to win another trophy with Auckland United before she departs. Also, Zoe Benson was signed from Eastern Suburbs so there’s another angle. Eastern Suburbs, meanwhile, had Anna Leat in goal for starters. Plus they had Ruby Nathan up top, formerly an AUFC player herself. Keith Hay Park was shadowed by rainclouds for this game but if you were looking for stars, you didn’t have to crane your neck.
Initially it was all Eastern Suburbs behind the long throws of Kenya Brooke... but that soon changed as Auckland United went through the gears. Unfortunately, Vlok’s evening only lasted twenty minutes before she got her ankle rolled in a foul and had to be replaced. AU still had Ava Collins creating chances though... and Rene Wasi soon had the ball in the net only for the linesman to talk everyone out of it due to an earlier offside. Anna Leat hasn’t had much to do in some of her games but she was covered in mud midway through the first half of this one.
With two outstanding goalkeepers and a gluttony of impressive defenders across the pitch, as well as the pitch chopping up with the conditions, there was never going to be much between the teams. As it turned out, it only required one goal to separate them and that goal was scored by Auckland United’s Rene Wasi in first half stoppage time when she was able to fend off a challenge and bring down Vosper’s cross in the box. That gave her time to pick her spot with the second touch and she made no mistake.
The Lilywhites threw what they could at AUFC in the second half but that lot are just so good. If anything they looked more likely to concede again, struggling to deal with the pace of Collins and Wasi on the counter. Ella Findlay did almost make it 1-1 with a thumping strike after 82 mins but Hannah Mitchell made a great save and even later than that a flick-shot from Vicky Neuefeind skimmed the crossbar. But Auckland United held on to advance to the Big Dance. Again. Same as they’ve now done in three out of the last four years.
The following day brought a fascinating bout between the two non-Auckland teams remaining. Wellington Phoenix Reserves hosting Cashmere Technical at Fraser Park. Cashmere Tech had a poor start to the year but the addition of a trio of recent Phoenix ALW players has given them an incredible form boost. Rebecca Lake, Lara Wall, and Annalie Longo all started for Tech. In contrast, the WeeNix opted against stacking the team with U20-aged players from their senior squad such as Manaia Elliott, Ela Jerez, and Daisy Brazendale. The only player with a first team contract to feature was Ella McMillan in midfield. Brooke Neary wore the goalie gloves and she has made one A-League appearance but that was as an amateur player.
Cashmere made a strong start getting winger Anya Stephan into good space and allowing Longo to whip the ball around... but just like the other game, it was the slow builders who soon took control. The WeeNix had already forced a couple of saves out of Freya Herdman (and one brilliant tackle in the area from Bex Lake) when Grace Bartlett ripped a shot off the crossbar. Pressure was mounting but the opening goal actually came on the counter attack when Amber De Wit hit an early ball through for the lightning quick Lily Brazendale, who was onside having started the run from inside her own half. LB drew the keeper out of the area and then whipped the ball beyond her for 1-0 after 26 mins.
There was a double change for Technical that followed although not in the way that phrase usually means. What happened was they subbed on Katie Harris after only 33 mins. It was a surprise that top scorer Harris was left out in the first place so that could have been tactical or it could have been injury related. Alas, Harris herself only lasted about five mins before she got hurt falling hard on the artificial surface and the sub needed to be subbed. Despite that disruption, Tech went close a few times with Katie Loye looking dangerous and they continued that into the second spell with McMillan producing a key block to deny Wall. The equaliser was deserved when it arrived... although it arrived in an odd manner. Tech had a drop ball after an injury break and the WeeNix were still switched off when Wall nudged it wide to Longo who crossed it in for Lake to score. 1-2-3 for the Phoenix cohort. 1-1 after 58 minutes.
Yet it was the Wellington Phoenix Reserves who would prevail, finishing with a little more petrol in the tank thanks to some impactful substitutes. One of those was Katie Pugh, the 16yo goal-scoring phenom from the U18s, who won possession on the press and then whipped in a lovely ball for Amber De Wit to dash into the area and score from. ADW did exactly that. The Cantabrian (ex-Nomads) supplied a goal and an assist to eliminate Cashy Tech. Winning goal scored with just seconds remaining in regular time. 2-1 final score. The Wellington Phoenix Women’s Reserve team thus becomes the club’s first ever representatives in a senior competitive grand final. Unless you count the 2008 A-League Men’s Pre-season Challenge Cup... which you should not.
Chatham Cup
The ladies left a hard act to follow... and Auckland United vs Nelson Suburbs didn’t even try. Actually, this wasn’t the aftershow, it was the preshow since this game happened at Keith Hay Park immediately prior to the Kate Shep semi. Nelson Subs have gone on an incredible run to get this far, including knocking Birkenhead United out in extra time, but their best mahi takes place at home. Fortress Saxton Fields. Away from home they’ve only won one league game this season and they were no match for AUFC up in the City of Sails.
Daniel Olaoye got the party started within five minutes when he pounced on a rebound in the area. The Englishman then got injured and had to be replaced by Matthew Conroy... who himself was next to score on 43’ when he scrambled one over the line with his knee. Emiliano Tade was involved in both of those goals so he kept the next one for himself, smashing in a mean finish from the edge of the area after Otto Ingham’s cut back. 45 mins gone and it was 3-0 to Auckland United.
Nelson Subs put in a shift but they just couldn’t deal with the pace and creativity of those United forwards. United sat back a bit more in the second half and successfully negotiated a clean sheet victory. 3-0 final score. With the AU ladies soon following this example, Auckland United have become the only club in history to qualify for both the Chatham Cup and Kate Sheppard Cup finals in the same year.
That brings us to Eastern Suburbs vs Wellington Olympic at Madills Farm in Auckland. Olympic are on the brink of confirming yet another Central League championship (there were no Men’s CL games this week so that’ll have to wait a little longer) while Eastern Suburbs aren’t out of the Northern League hunt themselves. League and Cup contention... yet that soon would end for one of them.
It was Eastern Suburbs who scored first when Jake Mechell produced an innovative stretching finish to poke home a cross from Tyler Lissette after 30 minutes. Mechell’s been injured for most of the year but that’s why he’s one of the best strikers going around. And with the defensive prowess of this Lilywhites team, as well as that home field advantage, they looked confident playing from in front.
The Greeks were missing a few of their familiar faces. That’s been the case for a while due to injuries and unavailabilities of late. On this occasion there was no Ben Mata, Jack-Henry Sinclair, or Justin Gulley... but they did still have the emerging hero Isa Prins who won a penalty late in the half after wriggling into the area. He took the kick himself and scored. 1-1 at half-time. Still plenty of time to go, in fact there was even more than expected because with nothing to separate them we went to extra time and then we went to penalties.
You know who loves a bit of penalty shootout activity? Paul Ifill and Ekow Quainoo... the coaching duo that’s won the last two Chatham Cup finals (with Christchurch United and Wellington Olympic) both via penalty shootouts. Johnny Reynolds missed off the crossbar with Olympic’s first attempt before the teams traded successes for a few rounds. Then the ever-reliable Scott Basalaj saved from Jackson Jarvie and Noah Karunaratne as Olympic took the shootout 4-3. The Greeks are into the final to face Auckland United, seeking to defend the trophy and seeking to make it an Ifill/Quainoo three-peat.
Men’s Northern League
Chatham Cup excursions meant that two games had to be rescheduled on the Northern League’s calendar. You may recall that Auckland United played West Coast Rangers in a midweeker not so long ago, that was one of them. The other was Auckland City vs Eastern Suburbs and that one hasn’t happened yet. Those are the only two teams with a game in hand right now, both right there on the edge of the National League stuff: ES are fourth, AC are fifth... although Suburbs would also only be two points behind first if they win against City. We’ll find out tonight because that’s when they’ve moved it to (but this roundup is already a day late so let’s not wait any longer).
The title race remains as tense as ever with neither of the top two blinking this week. Western Springs hosted the Auckland FC Reserves. AFC’s four-game unbeaten streak had them in season-best form and, what’s more, they welcomed back a bunch of their A-League scholars after a several weeks away from Northern League action. Adama Coulibaly, Finn McKenlay, Oli Middleton, and Jonty Bidois all started while Luka Vicelich and Eli Jones were also included after some Aussie Cup exploits. Jones has been the back-up goalie for both Aussie Cup games so far (with Scott Morris and Joe Knowles both injured). Vicelich got given a very sudden debut last round. Middleton has gotten off the bench in both games while McKenlay’s played one and Coulibaly’s been an unused sub both times.
But Western Springs won 2-1. Toshiki Makimoto scored after 19 minutes and then, following an Aidan Carey own goal (36’), Reid Drake put one away on 41’. Nervous at times, particularly in the chilly wet weather, but the 2-1 scoreline held until the final whistle. Thus ends Luka Vicelich’s perfect run of three wins from three as a starting centre-back. Western Springs remain at the summit with two rounds remaining... but only by one point because Birkenhead United did what they needed to do against Fencibles. They were 2-0 up midway through the first half after goals from Rohun Kawale (9’) and Michael Suski (36’ pen) but then strikes from Dylan Laing-McConnell on either side of the break (40’, 51’ pen) suddenly had this game level at two apiece. Not that Birko were stressing. They simply scored four more times and won 6-2. Suski (55’), Alex Connor-McClean (65’), own goal (65’), and Kawale (72’). Doubles for the North American imports Suski and Kawale.
Somewhere in the midtable murkiness, Tauranga City and Bay Olympic played out a 0-0 draw that does neither of them any harm. Tidy point each for the respective tallies. And East Coast Bays aren’t usually prolific scorers but they found a whole bunch of goals in a 6-0 win away against Manurewa which keeps ECB very much in the chase for top four. Guy-Frank Essome-Penda scored a hatty (16’, 67’, 83’) while Jack Caunter (29’), James Elder (50’), and Ben Hooper (73’) also got in on the action. Not good for Rewa... though at least they didn’t lose any relegation ground with Fencibles also getting beaten and West Coast Rangers not playing. Manurewa have by far the worst goal difference of those three relegation contenders so even the heavy margin of defeat change anything for them.
As for ECB, they’re up to 33 points to be level with Auckland City. 36 points is where the line is currently drawn for top four... although ES vs AC will raise the high tide line. ECB plays West Coast Rangers and Auckland City in their last two so even if they win both they’ll still need to see either Auckland United or Eastern Suburbs slip up elsewhere. Probably twice.
Remaining Fixtures:
Western Springs – Eastern Suburbs (A), Auckland United (H)
Birkenhead Utd – Auckland FC Reserves (A), Eastern Suburbs (H)
Auckland Utd – Auckland City (H), Western Springs (A)
Eastern Suburbs – Auckland City (A), Western Springs (H), Birkenhead United (A)
Auckland City – Eastern Suburbs (H), Auckland United (A), East Coast Bays (H)
East Coast Bays – West Coast Rangers (H), Auckland City (A)
Women’s NRFL Premiership
While Auckland United were away qualifying for a third Kate Sheppard Cup final in the past four years, West Coast Rangers had the opportunity to cash out three more points and move into first place ahead of their rivals... who’d still have a game in hand with which to overtake them but points on the board are permanent and games in hand are not. Problem was, West Coast Rangers weren’t able to do that. They were away against Western Springs and nobody was able to break the deadlock, not even when WCR won a penalty that was saved by Angelique TuiSamoa. It ended as it began: 0-0.
Full credit to the Swans for locking it down because that clean sheet and the competition point that it earned means that Western Springs have now confirmed their National League presence with two games to spare. We’ll have the same four representatives as last year: Auckland United, West Coast Rangers, Eastern Suburbs, and Western Springs. It was up to someone else to bust the quartet and nobody was able to. As far as the title race is concerned, both AUFC and WCR are now on 46 points but United have the far superior goal difference and also that crucial game in hand. The goal difference disparity means they could lose and still stay first. United do still have to play Springs, Suburbs, and Fencibles though.
Fencibles won 2-1 away against Hibiscus Coast. Aneka Mittendorff’s goal after 12 minutes gave the Coasties the very rare experience of leading a game but it didn’t last and by half-time they were trailing after Ayumi Horikoshi (30’) and Lilly Dowsing (45’) both scored. That’s how it stayed. Elsewhere, Tauranga Moana logged a useful point after a 1-1 draw with Ellerslie. It was Anna Sluyter after just two minutes for the Ponies... but Tauranga’s Jasmine Griffiths levelled up on 34’ and that’s how it stayed. If they’d been able to snatch a winner then Moana would have pretty much saved their season... as it is, they’ll need to avoid defeat against Hibiscus Coast next week to achieve safety. Otherwise they’ll be staring relegation in the eyes on account of their awful goal difference, especially since neither of those two teams seems capable of winning against anyone else. That’s okay, they don’t need to. They each only need to beat the other.
Women’s Central League
The stakes were high as Waterside Karori hosted Petone on Saturday with the winner taking control of the sprint for the last National League qualification spot from the WCL. Both teams have been in good form and putting up strong cases but there’s only room for one more behind Wellington United and the Phoenix Reserves. It was Karori who struck first when Renee Bacon converted from the penalty spot after 25 minutes. It was Petone who led at half-time following goals from Caelin Patterson (28’) and Pepi Olliver-Bell (39’). And it was Petone who held on for the 2-1 win to jump one point ahead of the Wharfies, each with two games left to play.
Karori face Vic Uni (A) and the WeeNix U18s (H). Petone face Taradale (A) and Vic Uni (H). Waterside Karori have earned a Natty League spot in each of the two seasons that it’s been open to this comp but it looks like Petone might just pip them. Olliver-Bell has now scored 18 goals at better than a goal per game. Renee Bacon’s up to 15 goals herself, now tied with teammate Nicola Ross for third most in the division.
Wellington United must have partied hard during the week after clinching the Central League championship because they nearly got tripped up against relegation-threatened Moturoa. With ten minutes to go, playing at home, it was still 0-0. Could have been a huge point for Mots but then Hannah Pilley (83’) and Natalie Olson (90’ pen) scored late as the Diamonds took a 2-0 victory. That makes it 17 wins in a row for WU who only need one more to complete a perfect season. Nat Olson’s up to 33 goals in 15 Central League games.
As for Moturoa, they’re now only one point ahead of Victoria University after that lot scored late-ish to draw 1-1 against Miramar Rangers. A Crystal Phillips penalty had given Rangers a ninth minute lead and it wasn’t until the 79th minute that Nicole Baird equalised. A win would have raised Vic Uni out of the drop zone and considering they face Waterside Karori and Petone in their last two games perhaps a win was what they really needed. The point at least keeps everyone sweating as the students chase an upset over the final fortnight.
There was supposed to be one other game but Palmerston North Marist were riddled by injuries and presumably some illness too, since them things are going around at the moment, so they defaulted their game against the Wellington Phoenix U18s. Katie Pugh and Holly Robins were both on the bench in the submitted line-up before they both later played for the Reserves in the KS Cup. Doesn’t feel right to count that as a clean sheet but technically speaking that does mean the WeeNix are down to an average of 0.5 goals conceded per game (8 goals against in 16 matches). The three points here confirm a second-placed finish at the team’s first attempt in this division.
Men’s Southern League
Nelson Suburbs were the last team standing in the cup from this region which means that their game away against Wānaka had to be postponed. That doesn’t really affect anything since neither could rise up the table even with a win. However, the top three teams were all in action knowing that they’re so close together you could throw a blanket over them... and two of them were going head to head. It was Cashmere Technical against Christchurch United for the chance to claim first spot on the ladder in this bonkers title race.
And how’d that one pan out? Cashmere Tech scored first through Garbhan Coughlan... that’s a familiar story. Expertly finished after 36 mins after he drifted wide and ran onto a ball over the top. But the Rams hit back through Sho Goto shortly after half-time (53’), following up on a good initial save from Pieter-Taco Bierema. From there it was a tale of two penalties. Coughlan won the first of those pens himself, drawing contact from the keeper as he tried to go around him, and then coolly converted it for a 2-1 Tech lead after 68 mins. But that was only for some tenacious running from Joshua Tollervey to win a spot kick up the other end with the game nearly done. Tollervey put it away. 2-2 after 87 mins. That was your final score. A late penalty allowed Christchurch United to get out of there with a 2-2 draw... probably a fair result.
Because of that outcome, Coastal Spirit had the opportunity to leapfrog them both with a win against Ferrymead Bays... and they made no mess of it. 2-0 victory with Joe Hoole (35’) and Weston Bell (79’) getting the goals. Things have stretched out now – suddenly there are two points between first and third on the MSL standings, the margin’s been multiplied. Christchurch United still have a game in hand that can send them from third to first if they win. Next week seeks Chch Utd vs Coastal whereas Cashmere should win safely against Unis of Canterbury. Something tells us there’ll be a few more twists in this tale yet.
In other results, Dunedin City Royals had a joyful time winning 5-0 against Universities of Canterbury. Goals for Will Turner (7’), Charlie Fawcett (47’), Will Turner again (58’), Cato Williams (70’), and Lewis Wall (77’). The latter two were both substitutes making the most of their time. Not great for UC’s relegation scrap but fortunately for them, Nomads won 6-2 away against Selwyn United so UC maintain their two-point advantage.
Nomads were 2-0 up after five minutes thanks to Harry Bushell and Caleb Cottom goals. Flynn Holdem then kept up his great form by making it 3-0 after 28 mins and it’d stay that way for a long time before Holdem’s second (65’) was tailed by Sena Benseman (69’) getting the home side on the board at 4-1. Cooper Goldsmith then made it 5-1 on 73’. Luke Barrett added another consolation goal for Selwyn in added time before Holdem completed his hatty in the time that remained. Flynn Holdem, who turned 18 years old during the week, now has 12 goals in 10 games during this Southern League. Morgan Wellsbury (19yo at Tauranga) is the only teenager doing comparable things in the men’s leagues right now.
Women’s South Island League
Just the one game down in these parts and it was Roslyn Wakari hosting Coastal Spirit, using the cup weekend to play catch-up. Neither team had much to play for. The title’s already been decided and there’s no National League qualification from this division (since they’ve still got the federation teams). Relegation is also a non-issue for both. But Coastal Spirit can still catch Cashmere Technical for third place if things break their way and despite falling behind to a Morgan MacCormick goal after 22 minutes, doubles from Samantha Whyte (32’, 90’) and Margi Dias (55’, 62’) eventually saw Coastal through with a 4-1 win for their travels. That gets them back within three points of the Techies with the same number of games played. Cashy Tech still have to play both Otago Uni and Dunedin City Royals so it’s still very feasible that Coastal might catch them.
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