Aotearoa Domestic Football Roundup – June 10
Men’s Northern League
This time next week, Auckland City will have just played Bayern Munich at the Club World Cup. They’ve been over in the USA for a week (sketchy times to be in that country) and have already played one practice game, beating Philadelphia Union 2 by a 2-0 scoreline via second half goals from Ryan De Vries and Regont Murati. Good to see, good to see.
It was a bit confusing whether they’d be facing the Union’s first team (who instead ended up playing a friendly against Atlas FC of Mexico – neither of those teams are in the CWC) or their Next Pro reserves. Even the locals seemed unsure. It turned out to be the Next Pro side, which competes in what’s effectively an U23 league although there’s no official age restrictions, therefore Auckland City did what they ought to and taught the young bucks a footballing lesson. More to the point, it was a chance to acclimatise to the North American summer. They also met Al Ain of Saudi Arabia today (Tuesday NZT) in their second and final friendly game this morning, losing 1-0. That’s the same club that they lost 6-2 against at the Intercontinental Cup in September 2024. Then, yeah, after that comes Bayern Munich (Monday 4am), Benfica (Saturday 4am), and Boca Juniors (Wednesday 7am).
Back in Aotearoa, the recent NZ U20s tour to Chile has taken away a few Auckland FC Reserves regulars for the past couple games. AFC lost on penalties to Melville in the Chatham Cup last week. This week it was a homer against Fencibles and they had a surprise on the cards with Fencies speedster and NZ U17s international Nathan Martin swapping teams and lining up for AFC. His debut coming against his old club, funny that. But it was Fencibles who got the last laugh. Aston Burns scored just before the break, then doubled that after 59 mins before Dylan Laing-McConnell (himself only recently joined from Manurewa) made it 3-0 after 62 mins. AFC did save some face with goals from Shivam Nair (67’) and Ralph Rutherford (86’) keeping it close at 3-2, and obviously they were stretched with players missing. Credit to Fencibles for a very valuable win though, one which raises them out of the relegation zone.
Birkenhead United remain at the summit after bouncing back from a shock loss to East Coast Bays in the previous Northern League round by winning 2-1 in a tight one against Auckland United. Sam Philip struck first after 14 mins but Daniel Atkinson immediately made it 1-1 on 15’. Curtis Hughes then scored five minutes before the break and with no further additions in the second half that proved to be the deciding act. That keeps Birko three points clear while AUFC have work to do, currently three points adrift of the top four.
Western Springs are in second having just won 3-0 away at East Coast Bays thanks to goals from Reid Drake (43’), Caspar McGavin (52’), and Rayan Tayeb (79’). Pretty routine from them... although for ECB it’s the first time they’ve conceded three in a game since March. Auckland City are third and obviously they didn’t play this week. In fourth are Tauranga City, who’ve climbed up a spot after leaving it late to beat West Coast Rangers 2-0. If you’ve followed this team at all then you can guess the scorers: Colby Brennan (83’) and Morgan Wellsbury (90’). Wellsbury has 11 for the season, Brennan has 10. They’re first and second for the Golden Boot with Emiliano Tade (AU) on a bit of a dry spell lately with his 9. Derek Tieku (BO) and Sam Philip (BU) are on 8 each.
And there was also some delicious late action as Eastern Suburbs hosted Bay Olympic. Noah Karunaratne had the Lilywhites leading inside of two minutes but William Eng made it 1-1 after seven. An own goal on 21’ then put the Bay ahead for a long stretch until Eber Ramirez’s goal on 60’ had “2-2” showing on the scoreboard. Derek Tieku then thought he’d won it in the 87th minute for Bay Olympic... only for Kofi Dwamena to equalise in stoppage time. 3-3 final score. Phew. A point saved by Eastern Suburbs but the two they dropped allowed Tauranga City to overtake them. All teams have played 13/22 games.
Women’s NRFL Premiership
Sound the alarm, because we’ve lost another undefeated team. West Coast Rangers were at home against Ellerslie on Friday night and they took a 25th minute lead through Shannon Henson. Everything seemed to be on track. But then Maddison Ollington (33’), Hollie Leona (52’), and Ollington again (57’) all scored to shake things up with a 3-1 Ponies win. WCR had a strong side with most of their familiar faces in place yet they lost and with that the title race takes another twist.
That’s because Auckland United did what they needed to do with a 3-2 win away against Hibiscus Coast at the same time. It was the Coasties who took the lead through Miya Stott after half an hour, however Zoe Benson (40’) ensured it was level at the half. Talisha Green (52’) then gave AUFC the advantage but Azaria Greenway’s 78th min goal meant it was tied once more heading into the closing stages... whereupon Penny Brill popped up with a last-gasp winner. This after the two sides went to extra time in the cup last week, with AUFC prevailing on that occasion too. United are one of those teams that just always finds a way. They’re now ahead of WCR on goal difference with ten games played each... and stay tuned because on Wednesday evening it’s Auckland United and West Coast Rangers at Keith Hay Park. WCR won the first time they met but AU have recovered from that thanks to this week’s results. Gonna be huuuuge.
Right, so remember how Katie Duncan left Eastern Suburbs a month ago? The reasoning was that she’d been offered “an exciting opportunity to work full-time in football” which turned out to be the Western Springs job across town. Maia Vink took over at Springs amidst a pretty difficult time for the club and steadied the ship all the way to a Kate Sheppard Cup title in 2023. But her departure was announced back in April, finishing in May, as she cited personal reasons and a desire to be closer to family (presumably a move back to Wellington). Katie Duncan was unveiled a few weeks back and her first game in charge was in the Kate Shep Cup... where you may recall the Swans won 17-0 against Whakatane Town.
Well, this week it was Eastern Suburbs against Western Springs so there you go. Guaranteed fizz (as well as the coincidental factor of Katie Duncan, Footy Ferns centurion, coaching Kate Duncan, former NZ U20s midfielder). And it was the ex-coach who got the bragging rights. Sarah Morton got her first goal for Springs after 36 mins but Victoria Neuefeind (40’) was quick to cancel that out. However, Indigo Kirk’s goal on 66’ did not elicit such a response. 2-1 to Western Springs who thus move four points clear in third place. Curiously, there were four capped Footy Ferns in this game and three of them were substitutes. Morton started for Springs, who also had Liz Savage and Katie Rood feature off the bench. Tayla O’Brien got some minutes for Suburbs too as she amps up her match fitness after a long term injury.
That was a brutal loss for Eastern Suburbs for a couple of reasons... but it would have been worse had Fencibles not stunningly been beaten 3-1 at home by Tauranga Moana. This may have been a bigger upset than West Coast Rangers losing. Tauranga had lost all nine games with a -42 goal difference prior to this round whereas Fencies are pushing for National League qualification. It was 0-1 at the break after Miah Smith (3’) scored early for the visitors. The half-time subs seemed to do the trick as Mischa Marais immediately got Fencibles back on level terms (46’)... only for Grace Duncan (51’, 76’) to bag a couple more to send Tauranga Moana to victory. That lifts them above Hibiscus Coast on the table. Meanwhile, Fencibles fail to take advantage of Eastern Subs losing and remain in fifth.
Men’s Central League
Lo and behold, Wellington Olympic have been defeated. Perhaps it was inevitable at some stage given their long list of injuries, granted they did get a few blokes back for this one, but they got popped 3-1 by Miramar Rangers at Dave Farrington Park. There goes the last undefeated men’s team from the three major leagues... and here comes a revival of a classic rivalry.
Martin Bueno scored first for Rangers on 15’. Hamish Watson replied on 23’. Then a Justin Gulley own goal (38’) and later a second for Muy Bueno (82’) gave the points to the blue and black. Isa Prins was sent off for Olympic shortly before Bueno’s second goal – which by the way takes him to 14 for the season. The Greeks had only conceded four times in nine matches prior to this but let’s be fair to Miramar because coach Kale Herbert has got his side humming this year. They’re now only four points behind Olympic and very much on course to get back into the National League.
With Rangers doing what they’re doing, and the WeeNix guaranteed their spot, that means it’s likely to be a shootout between Napier City Rovers and Western Suburbs for the last Nats qualifier... and oh look those two played each other this week. True to form, it was a close game between two clubs that never seem to be easily separated. Goals from Noah Tipene-Clegg (8’) and Cam MacKenzie (10’) had Wests in an early lead but Sam Lack hit back (32’) to have it at 2-1 for HT oranges. On it went like that... until Jonathan Robinson seemed to clinch it for Wests in stoppage time, only for newly appointed Newcastle Jets women’s coach Stephen Hoyle to promptly reply. But it was too late. Western Suburbs won 3-2 to leapfrog Napier City into fourth place.
At which point it’s only right to pause and say a few words about Stephen Hoyle, who moved to Aotearoa more than a decade ago and has had an excellent playing career most notably at Napier City, Canterbury United, and Eastern Suburbs. He also coached Eastern Suburbs to the Women’s National League title in 2022 with a squad that included recently recalled Football Fern and current Newcastle Jets equal-top scorer Deven Jackson. That would have helped to get his foot in the door but it’s also clear that he brought the goods with his powerpoint presentation because the Jets seem super excited about this out-of-the-blue hiring. Here’s hoping he’s able to re-sign Deven Jackson and maybe even add a few more kiwis while he’s at it (from his 2022 WNL championship squad, Rebekah Van Dort, Charlotte Wilford-Carroll, Nicole Mettam, and Nicole Cooper have all been playing Aussie state league over the past two years).
Jets Ceo Tain Drinkwater: “We are pleased to welcome Stephen to the Newcastle Jets. We were very impressed with his vision and ambitions for the team, and it was clear throughout the interview process that his passion is for women’s football, he is committed to developing a successful program for our A-League Women’s team, and he is ready to lead. Stephen has had previous experience working in Head Coaching roles and we are confident he is ready to take that next step to the A-League.”
Back to the Men’s Central League, where the Wellington Phoenix Reserves were without several top players with the New Zealand U20 squad being on tour (bit more on that in our last two Substack newsletters)... yet they still smoked Upper Hutt City 6-0 on the road. Daniel Makowem (14’), Ryan Lee (24’, 71’), Lachlan Candy (27’), Mac Munro (61’), and Ryan Watson (77’) supplied the plentiful goals. Dylan Gardiner captained the team. Alfie Crookston and Phillip Azevedo were a couple of new names on the bench. Jack Perniskie also got some late minutes having also scored a double for the U18s this week.
Kieran McMinn keeps scoring goals for Petone. The 27yo is also the Strength and Conditioning coach for the Wellington Phoenix ALW squad but maybe he should be the attacking coach because after another hatty here he’s up to 12 for the season, gaining ground on Martin Bueno on the Golden Boot charts. McMinn scored two quick ones (5’, 7’) before Lukas Halikias (30’) pulled one back for opponents Waterside Karori. But Hami Paranihi-Nuku (64’) restored the two-goal advantage and then Ahmad Othman got sent off for Karori (86’) before McMinn put the icing on the cake right at the very end. 4-1 to Petone.
And then we finish with a ripper of a game between Island Bay United and North Wellington. Two teams that put on a show despite being down near the bottom (or at the bottom in NW’s case). It was ex-Wee Nix lad Joe Cornille who started it off for Island Bay after 20 minutes. An own goal (37’) then levelled the scores heading into the break, before North Wellington seemed to have put themselves on track for their first win of the league season after a Joshua Zatorski penalty (72’) and an Alex Mort (86’) effort put them up 3-1. Only for Charlie Hale to scored from the penalty spot for IBU (87’) followed by a 90th minute equaliser from Tomas Alvarado. That’s gonna sting for North Wellington. 3-3 draw, final score.
Women’s Central League
A mighty kauri fell in this section too, would you believe it? You probably would given that it was Wellington United against Wellington Phoenix U18s, so chances were somebody was going to lose their undefeated status. These two clubs have been drawn against each other in next week’s Kate Sheppard Cup round but of course that’ll be the Phoenix Reserves/U20s, albeit there’ll potentially be some player crossover.
The Nix U18s picked a strong side with six starters who’ve played U20s this year... alas, that didn’t include star striker Katie Pugh who was absent. Hannah Pilley put the Diamonds ahead after seven minutes but Bridie Jessica Christie’s third of the season (24’) had things tied at the break. Then Farina Anchico, herself still young enough that he could be playing for the Nix U18s, grabbed a 46th minute goal that proved to be the winner. That ends Natalie Olson’s scoring streak but she won’t be worried about that. Another triumph for Wellington United who have now taken full control of the title race.
There was also an incredible win for Palmerston North United against a travelling Miramar Rangers. PNU took a 34th minute lead thanks to Erin Carpenter but would have goalkeeper Natalee Mellish sent off early in the second half... yet still somehow they hung on for the 1-0 victory, only their second win of the season. Those three points launches PNU from last place up to seventh. Turns out we will be getting a proper relegation battle after all.
And in the other game this weekend, it was all scoreless at half-time between Victoria University and Palmerston North Marist... whereupon Marist sprinted away to a 3-0 win courtesy of goals from Marina Ishimoto (49’), Melissa McKenna (53’), and Charlotte Noakes (88’). Marist had only scored seven goals in seven and a half games before that triple splash. Happy days for the two Palmy clubs. There was also supposed to be a Waterside Karori vs Petone game that would have been a belter except the weather caused it to be postponed.
Men’s Southern League
There are two clubs pulling away from the pack over in these parts and they each scored seven times this week. No surprises about Christchurch United winning 7-0 against Wānaka. It actually could have been a lot more... they were 3-0 up after 23 mins, then scored three goals late in the first spell to make it 6-0 at half-time. But then only added one more in the second. Shogo Osawa got a hat-trick (23’, 45’, 45’), while Ollie van Rijssel (2’), Josh Tollervey (18’), Joel Stevens (44’), and Ben Stroud (81’) supplied the others.
The other high fliers are the team that took Chch Utd’s spot in the National League last year: Coastal Spirit. They were away against Universities of Canterbury and won 7-2. Riku Ichimura continued his blistering season with a brace to take him to 12 goals overall... way clear of Joel Stevens, Tollervey, and Lyle Matthysen who are tied for second in the division with seven each. Coastal were 4-0 up after 24 minutes thanks to goals from Ichimura (11’), Roque Fuentes Salinas (16’), Mason Stearn (20’), and Mohamad Taqizada (24’) before Josh Dempster got one back for UC (29’). It stayed that way until half-time whereupon some Joe Hoole (52’), Ichimura (53’), and Noa Prestel (55’) goals applied the accelerator. Somewhere in there UC scored again but their second goal didn’t make it to the match centre. It was just that kinda day.
Christchurch United are on 22 points, Coastal Spirit are on 21 points. There’s then a five-point gap down to third which is where Nelson Suburbs and Cashmere Technical are tied. Nelson Suburbs breezed to a 5-0 win against Selwyn United with goals from Lennon Whewell (6’, 11’), Sebastian Hickman (8’), Dauntae Mariner (50’), and Ben Polak (55’). You probably already know that Mariner is a Samoan international who is the nephew of Tim Cahill.
As for Cashmere Technical, that was where all the weekend’s drama was in the Southern League. Dunedin City Royals hosted them at Tahuna Park and were 1-0 up at the break after Will Turner’s 28th min goal. Yusuf Van Dam tied things up for CT after 58 mins and it stayed that way until DCR’s Jed Collings put the home side ahead again with only four minutes remaining. But four minutes (plus stoppage time) was enough for Charlie Peacocke to score twice and give Cashy Tech the 3-2 win. Off the bench at 82’. Goals on 89’ and 90+’. One was an equaliser and the other was a winner. We’re seen some pretty useful strikers come through the Tech system in recent years so perhaps this bloke will be the next one.
And then in the other game, Nomads United took a 1-0 lead away to Ferrymead Bays after Daniel Metherell’s 17th min goal but Chris Murphy levelled back up for the home side on 68’ to ensure an even share of the points from a 1-1 draw. Kinda boring given all the goals everywhere else but those are handy points that keeps each them very comfortably mid-table.
Women’s South Island League
Dunedin City Royals had won seven outta seven heading into this week but a trip to face Cashmere Technical away posed one of their trickiest fixtures yet. Nevertheless, they did in this game what they did in all the other games. Kylie Jones (26’) whipped one in direct from a corner kick. Technical levelled things up on 55’ when Katie Harris ran onto a pass from Darsha Keoghan. But then the other Jones twin, Shelby, did this...
And with that Dunedin City Royals remain perfect thanks to their San Diego sisters. This in a week where West Coast Rangers women, the Wellington Phoenix women’s U18s, and Wellington Olympic men all lost for the first time. Only DCR and Wellington United women are still undefeated across the six top tier divisions. 2-1 was the final score as Royals beat Tech, although Claudia Wilson did make her 100th appearance for CT in this match so that’s something positive.
Other than that, there wasn’t a close game in the south. Coastal Spirit were away against NW United and they pumped them 7-2 with Britney-Lee Nicholson scoring a hatty and Margi Dias grabbing two. NWU were actually 1-0 up after Emily Brown’s very early goal but Dias (18’) and Nicholson (20’) ensured it was 2-1 at the break. Then Holly Lyon (55’), Laura Newman (67’), and BLN (68’) pushed that out to 5-1. Tahlia Herman-Watt pulled one back on 73’ yet Coastal took that personally with BLN (74’) and Dias (76’) promptly overriding things. Nicholson and Dias are both up to seven goals for the season, trailing Amy Hislop’s (DCR) lead with nine. Incredibly, that 7-2 scoreline for Coastal exactly matched what their men’s team did in their concurrent fixture.
Also in that mix is Leila Hausia-Haugen, who scored her eighth for Otago University to get them started in what became a 3-0 win against Nelson Suburbs. LHH scored on 30’, then Georgia Nixon (37’) and Ruby Brathwaite (42’) carried it on with all the scoring taking place in the last quarter of an hour of the first half. That was an expected outcome as Otago Uni got back on their feet after losing to DCR prior a fortnight ago.
And it was a good week for higher learning institutions in the South Island because Universities of Canterbury won 5-1 away against Halswell. All five goals were scored in the first half: Tessa Burns (5’), Lydia Gilbert (13’), Hannah McKenzie (23’), Liv Deane (30’), and Kyra Lazor (32’). Halswell did at least win the second half 1-0, thanks to Ella Hartell’s strike in the 72nd minute. Halswell are last on goal difference (behind Nelson Suburbs) and that diffo doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Aaaaaand Roslyn Wakari had the bye.
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