Soccer: City never in any danger, but Waitakere humiliated

Auckland City. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Auckland City are heading for top spot in their O-League group, but for Neil Emblen and his Waitakere United team what had appeared a cruise into the play-offs has become a rocky road after their 3-0 loss to AS Tefana in Papeete - a team they walloped 10-0 in the first round.

Despite conceding three goals for the first time in all competitions this season, City were never in danger against a makeshift Koloale team, winning 7-3 at Kiwitea St.

Ahead after seven minutes when Adam Dickinson pounced on a ball spilled by Shadrack Ramoni, the home team were stunned eight minutes later when they failed to halt the impressive James Naka, who ran deep before pushing the ball to Steven Anisi, who cracked a shot past Tamati Williams.

Chad Coombes got City back in front 10 minutes before halftime and played in the ball three minutes later with a deflection, for an own goal.

City, with goals from Ivan Vicelich, Dickinson again and Andrew Milne stretched it to 6-1 and later 7-2 with Daniel Koprivcic on the scoresheet. The visitors, through Benjamin Totori - and, in added time, Naka -grabbed a couple to keep the home side honest.

"It was an entertaining game, but it took time to adjust to the pace," said Auckland City coach Ramon Tribulietx. "It is hard to maintain the momentum when you are scoring like that, but we should have done better.

"It was not what we were looking for. We had a lot of possession but too often we gave it away.

"With the chances we had, we should have scored more but, overall, I felt we defended well, especially in one-on-one situations.

"In the first 20 minutes they [Koloale] were very good," said Tribulietx. "I'm happy with the win but not in giving up three goals."

Koloale coach Jeffrey Allen said it was a tough ask to play the group leaders without four of his regulars. Two were missing through visa problems, Henry Fa'arodo has joined ASB Premiership club Team Wellington and another has transferred to another club in the Solomon Islands.

"We let in too many goals to be competitive," said Allen, who only rejoined the team a couple of days before flying to New Zealand.

"I was happy with the way the guys played in the first 20 minutes, but we then let them have too much ball. We had only two days together before the game. To be competitive in the O-League you need at least a month."

City need only a point from their remaining two games. A draw away to Hekari in two weeks will seal it.

In the other group B match, Papua New Guinea champions Hekari United beat Vanuatu's Amicale 2-0, with Kema Jack scoring a goal in each half.

Emblen was far from happy on his return from Tahiti.

"We were not good enough on the night," he said, after playing the 90 minutes as his rejigged Waitakere side slumped to their second successive loss on the artificial pitch at Stade Louis Ganivet. "We were always on the back foot, especially when they scored after 23 seconds."

That goal was dubious after the ball rebounded from Emblen on to Alvin Tehau's arm. The referee waved play on and he scored.

"I'm not saying that cost us," said Emblen, "but when these island teams get their confidence up they can be very difficult to play against."

After conceding that early goal, and with stand-in goalkeeper Matt Upton unable to keep out Sebastien Labayen's effort later in the spell, United turned 0-2 down and saw their hopes dashed when Taufa Neuffer scored a second-half runaway.

In the other group A, match Fiji's Ba got the result they wanted in beating AS Mont-Dore 1-0 away - through a retaken Osea Vakatalesau penalty in the 35th minute in Noumea. Ba now host Waitakere in a potential group decider on March 4.

Meanwhile, in an ASB Premiership catch-up game, Hawkes Bay United scored first and last to beat Waikato FC 4-2 at Porritt Stadium. The win keeps alive Hawkes Bay's chances of making the play-offs, but they face a run in with away games against Auckland City and Team Wellington to come.