Canterbury’s ruthless performance was inspired by five-goal hero George Slefendorfas, who equalled Benjamin Totori’s record for most individual goals in a regular season ASB Premiership fixture. The result means Canterbury and Team Wellington, who downed Waikato FC 3-2, both leapfrog Waitakere into the second and third spots respectively, while the West Aucklanders slip to fourth.
Waitakere’s fourth defeat of the season, and their second to Auckland in the league, may mean victory in the ASB Premiership Grand Final is the West Aucklanders’ only route to the O-League with the minor premiership ticket now a much slimmer mathematical possibility following round ten’s results. One advantage in Waitakere’s favour is that all four of their remaining regular season matches – against Waikato, Wellington, Canterbury and YoungHeart Manawatu – are at home.
In the Super City derby at Kiwitea Street, Luis Corrales gave a scintillating performance for Auckland and completed a sensational comeback from suspension when he opened the scoring on 29 minutes with a typically composed finish past goalkeeper Danny Robinson. Waitakere bounced back when unmarked midfield dynamo Chris Bale headed home an equaliser from an Allan Pearce long throw on 56 minutes.
With the match finely balanced, Auckland restored their lead under freakish circumstances when a Ryan de Vries clearance struck Daniel Koprivcic and spun wickedly over Robinson into the back of the visitor’s net with 20 minutes left. Manel Exposito put the result beyond doubt for Auckland when he slammed home an unstoppable third.
In Christchurch, Hawke’s Bay coach Chris Greatholder was left scratching his head after his side’s two-match winning run collapsed in a 7-0 defeat to Canterbury at ASB Football Park. George Slefendorfas powered his way to four goals inside the first 45 minutes while midfielder Darren White chipped in with another as Canterbury led 5-0 at halftime.
Aaron Clapham made it 6-0 from the penalty mark after Andy Barton was felled just after the restart and Barton was also involved in Canterbury’s seventh when he crossed for Slefendorfas to net his fifth of the afternoon on the hour mark. Hawke’s Bay have little time to recover as they face Auckland in a round five catch-up match in Napier on Waitangi Day tomorrow.
Wellington edged a brave Waikato in a five-goal thriller in Hamilton today. Waikato skipper Adam Thomas netted his third goal of the campaign from the penalty mark on nine minutes after James Musa had brought down Ryan Thomas. The lead lasted barely two minutes as Wellington’s Ricky Zucco levelled the scores with a superb curled effort over goalkeeper Mark Fulcher.
The home side bounced back in style when a slick attacking move started by Jesse Edge and Ryan Thomas ended with a crisp Tyler Boyd finish on 18 minutes and Musa then made amends for his earlier mistake when he headed home an equaliser from a corner on 34 minutes. But it was Louis Fenton who broke Waikato hearts with almost the last kick of the match to hand Wellington a 3-2 victory.
In Dunedin, Manawatu delivered arguably their best performance of the season as they drew 2-2 with an out-of-sorts Otago United. Behind to a Harley Rodeka goal after just 14 minutes, Manawatu clawed their way back into the match with a superb Seule Soromon strike on 19 minutes. The visitors then grabbed a shock lead courtesy of Jimmy Haidakis 11 minutes before halftime, only for Otago’s debutant Aajay Cunningham to level the scores with a long-range strike ten minutes into the second half.
On Waitangi Day, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland complete a busy weekend of ASB Premiership action when they meet at Bluewater Stadium from 2pm.
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz

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