Mario Ilich of Team Wellington is challenged by Cameron Howieson of Auckland City FC. Photo / Getty
Honours have been shared between the two domestic powerhouses of New Zealand football with Team Wellington and Auckland City playing out a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their OFC Champions League semi-final in Wellington.
Three weeks after Auckland City edged Team Wellington 1-0 in the final of the
NZ Premiership, the two familiar foes contested an entertaining stalemate in perfect conditions at David Farrington Park.
The result suits Auckland City better as the tie now shifts to their home at Kiwitea Street for the return leg next Sunday. However, Team Wellington will be encouraged by their performance in a game where they created a handful of good chances against an Auckland City side which has now played an astonishing 22-and-three-quarter hours of football in all competitions without conceding.
The best chance of the game fell to Emiliano Tade in the first half, the livewire Auckland City striker seizing onto a flick-on from Kris Bright and placing his shot beyond Team Wellington goalkeeper Scott Basalaj, only to see it strike the post and rebound to safety.
Angus Kilkolly had the home side's best first-half opportunity but couldn't beat goalkeeper Enaut Zubikarai when played through one-on-one, while Auckland City utility Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi could also have opened the scoring, but his header from Tade's free-kick was turned aside by Basalaj.
