On the back of a dominant 45 minutes, Auckland raced to a 2-0 halftime lead in the first edition of a new prequel to the ASB Premiership featuring the two strongest sides from the previous season.
Alex Feneridis slipped off marker Chris Bale to collect a looping cross from Manel Exposito and give the visitors a 24th-minute lead and six minutes later Exposito was the provider again, this time to captain Ivan Vicelich to head home from a free kick just outside the side of the penalty area.
Tim Myers, playing high in midfield as opposed to his normal position in defence, missed a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit minutes into second half but Allan Pearce made no mistake in the 50th minute in finishing a move he helped create.
Two minutes later a superb solo effort from Daniel Koprivcic – the Auckland striker turning his man and slamming the ball past the obstinate Danny Robinson from the edge of the area – helped to take some sting out of the home side’s comeback.
A goalmouth scramble in the 69th minute saw Auckland goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley drop the ball after a strong aerial challenge and this time Myers successfully converted to give Waitakere a brief glimmer of hope.
However, an in-form Auckland dictated the pace of the final stages to secure a early season boost heading into next week’s opening weekend of the ASB Premiership.
“It’s always good to get off to a winning start,” Auckland coach Ramon Tribulietx said.
“We’ve got a big squad. Everyone’s giving us something to think about and everyone’s buzzing about trying to force their way in. But it’s a long season and it hasn’t really started yet so it’s great to have options.”
Waitakere United coach Neil Emblen acknowledged his side was given a wake-up call in the first half.
“We were generally pleased with the second half but the first half was a good lesson in the level we need to get to,” he said.
“In the first half we did stop them playing which was good but we gave Auckland two goals and all of a sudden it was easy for them. We rarked the boys up a bit at halftime and to be fair to them they showed a good reaction and came out and looked like they meant business in the second half.”
With Allan Pearce the only member of last season’s title winning front-line available to him today, Emblen was still hopeful about the season’s prospects.
“Ryan De Vries should be ready for next weekend and we’ll have Roy Krishna back as well so that will give us more attacking threat than we had today.”
Waitakere open their ASB Premiership defence at home on Saturday to Hawke’s Bay United while Auckland are away to Waikato FC on Sunday. The other two matches on Sunday see YoungHeart Manawatu host Canterbury United and Team Wellington entertain Otago United.
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
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