Soccer: Auckland goalkeepers steal limelight in O-League travels

Goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Outstanding play from goalkeepers Jacob Spoonley and Danny Robinson ensured nothing much changed for Auckland City and Waitakere United on their weekend sojourns to Tahiti and New Caledonia respectively.

Both teams returned home yesterday after 1-1 draws in their group B O-League matches, while in ASB Premiership action the chasing pack failed to make much impact.

City snatched a last-ditch goal to share the points with AS Tefana in Papeete, while Waitakere gave up a late goal to hand AS Magenta a point in Noumea. Those results left the Auckland rivals still level on points at the top of the table, with City a goal to the good on differential.

"We won't know whether it is a good point or a bad point until February," said Waitakere coach Neil Emblen. "While a point is better than nothing and continues our season-long unbeaten record, it felt like a loss.

"It was a funny one. We were in a winning position after Allan Pearce scored but then we gave it back when Jack Pelter misread a bounce and the boy nipped in to score."

In the opening 10 minutes, as Magenta set the pace, Robinson was into the action with two saves in quick succession. He needed another in the 33rd minute to deny the home team.

Pearce pounced on a weak back-pass and smashed the ball home for the 70th minute opener. Seven minutes later Francis Watrone grabbed the equaliser.

"It is going to be close," said Emblen. "A lot will depend what happens in the next round, but I can see it going down to the wire."

In that February 4-5 round the Auckland teams are back on the road.

It promises to be a tough test for Waitakere in Papeete, as City co-coach Aaron McFarland can attest.

"They are a very good side," said McFarland after defender Angel Berlanga had taken the "bad guy, good guy" role for City.

He gave up the 52nd-minute penalty which was initially saved by Spoonley before he was beaten by Tetiamana Marmouyet from the rebound.

With the last seconds ticking away, Berlanga beat goalkeeper and Tefana man of the match Xavier Samin.

The real plus for McFarland and fellow coach Ramon Tribuliet was in getting half a game from returning midfielder David Mulligan and later 30 minutes from Luis Corrales.

"The score was a good reflection," said McFarland. "The artificial pitch was no problem, but the lights really were not up to the standard required at this level."

In the two premiership matches Otago United beat YoungHeart Manawatu 2-1 away for their first win of the season. The home team scored their first goal of the season.

In yesterday's curtainraiser to the Wellington Phoenix's A-League game, Canterbury United scored first and last to finish 2-2 with a brave Waikato FC, who hit back from a fourth-minute Aaron Clapham penalty to go 2-1 ahead with a Milos Nikolic brace.