Auckland City FC have started their quest for a 13th OFC Men’s Champions League title with a 1-0 win over AS Pirae in Honiara.

In a repeat of last year’s final the defending champions had goalkeeper Nathan Garrow to thank after he saved a second half penalty for the New Zealand side.

The opening half was a tight contest with both sides displaying disciplined defense and impressive goalkeeping. Auckland City FC dominated possession early on, but AS Pirae’s “Orange Wall” defense held strong, preventing an early breakthrough.

Auckland City FC’s first real threat came in the 13th minute when Nathan Lobo delivered a dangerous cross from the left, only for the AS Pirae goalkeeper, Decoret, to catch it safely.

Auckland continued to push forward, with Jerson Lagos making a strong run down the right flank in the 20th minute, finding Myer Bevan inside the box. However, Decoret was once again quick off his line to snuff out the danger. Minutes later, Bevan returned the favor, threading a through pass to Lagos, whose shot went straight at the goalkeeper.

AS Pirae, though largely on the back foot, started to build momentum in the 20th minute, pressing forward with more intent. Their first real chance came in the 25th minute when Kali Lenoir found Tepa inside the box, but his pass back to the captain resulted in a wayward strike that sailed over the bar. In the 29th minute, Labaste nearly capitalised on a defensive lapse, but Auckland’s goalkeeper reacted just in time to clear the danger.

The deadlock was finally broken five minutes before the break following a well-placed corner. The ball bounced off a Pirae player into the path of Bevan, who struck a low shot into the six-yard box. Dylan Manickum was in the right place at the right time, slotting the ball into the net to give Auckland City FC a 1-0 lead.

Auckland City FC started the second half with intensity, nearly doubling their lead in the 53rd minute when Myer Bevan received a pass just outside the box, turned inside, and struck a shot that narrowly missed the far post.

Jerson Lagos came close in the 58th minute, cutting inside from the far corner and firing a shot that required a full stretch save from the AS Pirae goalkeeper. However, Auckland struggled to capitalise on their set-piece opportunities, as a 61st-minute corner kick sailed too far with no one attempting to head it.

The key moment of the match occurred in the 70th minute when referee Ben Aukwai awarded the Tahitian side a penalty.

Nikko Boxall was penalised for an arm to the face on Paama inside the box as he chased a pass. However, Labaste’s penalty attempt in the 70th minute was brilliantly saved by Nathan Garrow, keeping Auckland’s lead intact.

Auckland’s substitutes had an immediate impact. In the 71st minute, Haris Zeb, fresh on the pitch, made a promising run down the sideline and delivered a pass into the box, but no one was there to finish. Two minutes later, fellow substitute Gerard Garriga attempted a shot from inside the box, only to see it fly over the bar.

AS Pirae continued to press forward and nearly equalised with a stunning bicycle volley from Paama following a free-kick delivery into the box. However, the shot narrowly missed the left side of the bar.

That was as close as it got for Pirae and the champions picked up the three Group A points.

Auckland City FC  1 (Dylan MANICKUM 41′)

AS Pirae 0

HT 1-0

Photo Credit OFC Media Via Phototek