The play-off pressure was most keenly felt at Porirua Park where Wellington clinched a dramatic 2-1 win against Canterbury United to move into third spot and claim a semi-final.
Despite the defeat, fourth placed Canterbury looks almost certain to qualify for the play-offs but face one final regular season match with Auckland City before they can officially rubberstamp their qualification.
On Saturday, seventh placed YoungHeart Manawatu bowed out of play-off contention after they could only produce a 1-1 draw with Otago United at Carisbrook. Fifth placed Otago took an early lead through Stu Kelly but YoungHeart’s Takayuki Omi capitalised on a defensive lapse by the home side to level five minutes before halftime. The result leaves Otago level on points with Canterbury but with an inferior goal difference of minus six to Canterbury’s plus nine.
Meanwhile, sixth placed Hawke’s Bay United lost 1-6 to Auckland City thanks to a second-half goal deluge for the visitors, with two goals each for Jason Hayne, Matt Williams and Adam Dickinson, a result that saw Matt Chandler’s men bow out of the playoff chase.
A goal by Auckland City’s Jason Hayne after 15 minutes gave Hawke’s Bay the start they didn’t want. A second half red card for Hawke’s Bay United defender Phil Clarke saw Auckland exploit the extra space and wrap up an easy win. Leon Birnie grabbed a late consolation that leaves the Hawke’s Bay United striker level with Seule Soromon in the Golden Boot race with 9 goals this season.
Auckland’s win made it a year to the day since they last lost a competitive match in New Zealand – a 3-1 play-off defeat to YoungHeart Manawatu at Memorial Park, Palmerston North. Their only other competitive defeat since is a 0-3 defeat to Atlante at the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009. Auckland is still undefeated domestically and could become the first team in the competition’s history to go unbeaten in the NZFC regular season.
At Whenuapai, Waitakere led Waikato FC at halftime on the back of goals by Roy Krishna and Allan Pearce and were looking safe when Jack Pelter turned provider for Krishna five minutes after halftime. Krishna completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot on 57 minutes after Alex Barlow fouled Allan Pearce. A Michael Gwyther penalty and a late Maurie Wasi consolation goal brought Waikato FC some joy for the NZFC wooden-spooners.
Team Wellington also piled on the pressure on Hawke’s Bay by running out 2-1 winners over their fellow playoff hopefuls Canterbury United in a ‘quarterfinal’ at Porirua Park.
Midfielder Chris Bale gave Wellington a nervy 1-0 lead on 69 minutes, but Paul Dirou levelled the score for Canterbury just fives minutes later. With the match appeared headed for a draw, Michael Fifii popped up to score the winner for Wellington with just five minutes left – the third consecutive match the substitute has scored a dramatic late winner for his team.
There are two outstanding regular season fixtures to be completed.
Canterbury now face Auckland City next weekend in their final regular season match where a win will see them leapfrog Wellington into third place and secure an ‘easier’ semi-final with the minor premiership runners-up.
The final regular season fixture sees Auckland City host YoungHeart Manawatu on Friday 2 April 2010 at Kiwitea Street.
The top four playoffs finals roar into life on the weekend of April 4 and 11 when the minor premiers play fourth place and the runners-up play third.
The fixtures are reversed a week later with the winners over two legs meeting in the April 25 grand final.
Exact dates and kick off times for the semi-finals will be advised.
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Story and photo courtesy NZFC Media.