The Black Knights beat Melbourne City 3-0 on Saturday evening in their most comprehensive win in Auckland this campaign. And probably their best performance.
The goals – to Guillermo May, Nando Pijnaker and Max Mata – came in a withering 15-minute burst before halftime.
That left Melbourne City, who were first coming into this match, in shock and there was no coming back. They didn’t even look close to a revival, creating little across the 90 minutes apart from a couple of late opportunities.
It was the perfect evening for Auckland FC, who also got to rest a few key players in the second half ahead of a run of games. The result is a massive fillip after one win in their previous five matches had critics wondering if the ship had hit the rocks after an amazing start.
But this team again showed their mettle and will return to the summit of the A-League this weekend.
May’s goal was a beauty – one of the best this season – while Pijnaker continued his happy knack of scoring vital goals. Mata’s strike will be cherished too, his first for the club and coming after his tough miss in Perth.
With Jake Brimmer unavailable (hamstring), May moved to the No 10 role. Striker Mata got his first start, as did Jesse Randall with Liam Gillion relegated to the bench.
It was a cagey opening, though Melbourne City had the early initiative. The home side began to find their rhythm but it wasn’t quite clicking. Either the timing of the run wasn’t there, or the pass was over-ambitious, not helped by playing into a strong wind in the first half.
In that context the opening goal wasn’t quite out of nowhere – as Auckland had started to win balls in transition – but it was a bolt from a blue. And what a screamer it was, as May produced a wicked, curling shot from 23 metres that flew past goalkeeper Patrick Beach.
It was just reward for May, who had worked tirelessly, and started with the Uruguayan winning possession deep in Melbourne territory. After interplay between Louis Verstraete and Logan Rogerson, May was in space and let fly from distance.
A Mata header then forced a good save from Beach and from the resulting corner came another magic moment for Pijnaker. His third goal of the season and easily the best, a vicious, angled strike from 12m after a shot from Felipe Gallegos had been blocked.
Melbourne City FC's Benjamin Mazzeo and Auckland FC's Francis de Vries. Photo / Photosport
The 14,131-strong crowd was in dreamland – but there was more to come. After Pijnaker managed a brave clearance, Mata again went close, with Beach at full stretch this time, after a deep cross from Francis de Vries.
There was another profitable corner, as Melbourne couldn’t deal with a swerving de Vries delivery and Mata reacted quickest to tuck home from close range.
Melbourne tried to respond after the interval but were mostly held at arm’s length, though Callan Elliott was alert to a dangerous cross and another shot was blocked. Neyder Moreno (Mata) and Gillion (Randall) were introduced in the 57th minute, with coach Steve Corica mindful of their upcoming schedule.
Moreno wasn’t far away with an audacious 60m attempt from well inside his own half – with a retreating Beach scrambling back desperately. New signing Marlee Francois was set up by Moreno but hit his shot straight at the keeper, when a cross to the unmarked Gillion was probably the better option, while Cameron Howieson went close from distance in injury time and Gillion was also set free.
The visitors finally conjured something at the end, but Alex Paulsen was alert and well positioned to deal with both chances.
Auckland FC 3 (Guillermo May 32, Nando Pijnaker 40, Max Mata 45+3)
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns.
