A stunning goal by former All White Allan Pearce and an inspired performance from goalkeeper Danny Robinson weren’t enough for Waitakere to pick up all three points against New Caledonia’s Magenta while Auckland escaped from Tahiti with a point thanks to a last-gasp equaliser from Spanish defender Angel Berlanga.
Magenta began the clash with Neil Emblen’s Waitakere men in sprightly fashion and it wasn’t long before Robinson was called into action, making two good saves in quick succession after ten minutes.
The visitors slowly began to adjust to their surroundings but Magenta were still enjoying most of the play and forced Robinson to make another smart stop in the 33rd minute.
Just prior to half-time, both sides had free kicks in good positions around 20 metres from goal but Robinson and fellow custodian Jean Yan Dounezeck both pulled off acrobatic saves to keep the scores level as the players went into the sheds.
Robinson’s fine showing in this match continues a good run of form for the ex-Derby County apprentice, who began the season as Emblen’s second choice but regained the No 1 jersey when incumbent Andy Ralph injured his hand while warming up for the ASB Premiership clash with Auckland City several weeks ago.
Waitakere knew they would have to be more adventurous in the second spell to achieve a result and, with the steady end-to-end breeze now behind their backs, showed their intent within ten minutes of the restart as strikes from midfielder Chris Bale and speedy Fijian striker Roy Krishna flew narrowly wide.
They finally got the goal their increase in tempo deserved in the 70th minute when Pearce pounced on an under-hit Roy Kayara backpass and swerved around a pair of Magenta defenders and the stranded Dounezeck before smashing a shot into the roof of the net.
It was a marvellous individual goal but failed to have the desired effect on Pearce’s Waitakere teammates, who let Magenta back into the game just seven minutes later through a mistake from former Sunderland trainee Jack Pelter. The young defender made hard work of a straightforward clearance and allowed striker Francis Watrone to nip in and finally get the better of Robinson.
Waitakere had chances to regain their lead in the dying moments through Krishna and Ryan De Vries but, to the frustration of Emblen, couldn’t take them.
“It was a very windy day and that made it hard for us in the first half,” Emblen said. “They controlled most of the play and the possession but, once we’d gone ahead, I thought we would go on to close out the game. We didn’t create enough chances but we’re still unbeaten this season and this may turn out to be a better result than it seems right now.”
Auckland City faced the opposite scenario in their match in Papeete, going behind in the 52nd minute and having to wait until one of the last kicks of the game to draw level.
The home side went ahead when Auckland goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley did well to keep out a Lorenzo Tehau penalty kick but couldn’t stop the rebound falling to Tetiamana Marmouyet, who found the back of the net.
Played on Tefana’s artificial Stade Louis Ganivet pitch, the match was fast-paced and the action swung from end to end as Auckland tried to find an equaliser. Both Spoonley and opposite goalkeeper Xavier Samin, rated as Tefana’s man of the match by the City coaching staff, were in fine form but the latter was finally beaten when Berlanga got his head to a Daniel Morgan free kick from the right in the 90th minute.
In the weekend’s sole Group A game, Amicale gave the home fans at a packed PVL Stadium plenty to cheer about with a 2-0 win over Koloale, who are now the only team in the competition yet to pick up a point.
William Malas’ side got off to the perfect start when captain Fenedy Masauvakalo headed home an Alick Maemae corner in the 15th minute and he had his second five minutes before half-time by waltzing through the Koloale defence and knocking the ball past goalkeeper Shadrock Ramoni.
The 2011 O-League returns next year when Lautoka host defending champions Hekari United in a re-scheduled game on January 15. In early February, Waitakere travel to Tefana and Auckland head for Magenta in Group B, while the Group A action consists of Amicale welcoming Hekari and Lautoka hosting Koloale.
Tefana vs Auckland City – Match Summary Download PDF
Magenta vs Waitakere United – Match Summary Download PDF
Amicale vs Koloale – Match Summary Download PDF