This is where the Kiwi x MLS yarn begins to take some context. We’ve got eight dudes in the MLS this season but having contracts and being influential players are very different things. Noah Billingsley and James Musa didn’t make the matchday squad for Minny’s opener against the Portland Timbers... who themselves had Bill Tuiloma on the injury list.
By a quirk of fate, Waitakere United and Hamilton Wanderers played each other home and away in consecutive weeks. Down in Hamilton it was late drama for Kale Herbert’s boys as Xavier Pratt and George Ott both scored late and the Tron Wands won it 4-3.
This is a tricky wee junction for the Football Ferns that we find ourselves at. By all accounts it seems like they’ve gotten their mojo back from after the travesties of 2018 but that unfortunately didn’t align with hitting their targets at the World Cup last year.
Another day, another dollar for Melbourne City. Several more dollars in fact, as they cruised to a 4-0 win away at Western Sydney Wanderers which has already booked them the minor premiership shield with two rounds to spare.
Something rather strange happened this week. It was deep into injury time down in Nelson, where Auckland City were visiting Tasman United. So deep that there were only seconds remaining…
Following another glorious Wellington Phoenix victory, this time a 2-0 win over instant-rivals Western United which sent Mark Rudan home without so much as even an inspirational message left on a whiteboard, the telly coverage managed to snag Steven Taylor for a bit of a post-game chat.
Happy days, right? But those ain’t pics from last week’s game, nope Ryan Thomas has been at it again for PSV. Starting in that number ten role once more he supplied his second goal for the club a week after scoring his first and helped the team to another important win as they seek to turn their season around.
Folks, it’s Champions League season. Eastern Suburbs as we speak are hanging out in Papua New Guinea for their group stage endeavours, in the process becoming the fourth New Zealand club to compete in this tournament.
A win like the Wellington Phoenix had on Saturday night in Auckland against a top side like Melbourne City, that’s the kind of win which is gonna look immeasurably valuable over the coming weeks. The Nix were not at their best against a team that knew how to ruffle them up.
Doesn’t he just look chuffed? Absolutely stoked? Brimming with primordial glee? Okay perhaps not but that’s our Winston for ya. He’s never been the most emotionally forthcoming, to be fair.
A beautiful way to score your first goal for PSV Eindhoven. Drifting into great areas, linking up with the dudes around you, making that late untracked run into the penalty area and then slipping it past the keeper.
It was Waitakere United versus Eastern Suburbs in our first game, the televised game even. West Auckland versus East Auckland. Also a game that could have some significant ramifications on the top four, as both teams entered on the back of three straight wins.
A trip to Perth is the toughest fixture the Wellington Phoenix have any season. Last time out the Nix played twice in Western Australia and lost 3-0 and 5-0, it’s not a particularly fun trip – they call it the Distance Derby for a reason.
It’s been a while in coming as a preseason injury limited Michael Woud at the start of things and then ever since he’s just been living in his role as a backup waiting his chance but an injury to Timon Wellenreuther finally meant his first game time since he played the final of his four appearances last season.
The clues were out there. The Wellington Phoenix top side had a bye this weekend whereas the ressies were hosting Team Wellington in the affectionately named Wel Classico. Chances were we’d see a fair few fellas on senior contracts getting a crack in this one.
The Clarets grabbed a famous 2-0 victory... their first win at Old Trafford since 1962. Chris Wood scored the first goal and then set up the second. A heroic performance, one might even say.
It was a very tasty televised clash between Team Wellington and Auckland City at David Farrington Park. The two top teams, the only two capable of standing above the crowd. A dress rehearsal for the grand final? Too soon to say... but it’s always a big occasion when these two face off and this was no different.
Sometimes you play quite well and still lose. Other times you don’t and still win. Sometimes those two things happen in consecutive games.
First game back after the winter break and this is what we wanna see. Ryan Thomas in the heart of things for PSV Eindhoven. They were away to VVV-Venlo wearing some striking dark green away jerseys and looking to get back to their imperial ways after an extended stretch of time to work with their caretaker boss since they last played in mid-December.
This league, mate. How good. Two weeks ago, as the Premiership awoke from its drunken slumber over the holidays, Tasman United were sitting in last place in the standings and that was *with* a game overturned in their favour. Two weeks later and they’re in the top four.