Soccer: Close wins set stage for classic collision

Auckland City's Paul Urlovic (left) tussles with Jeff Sole of Team Wellington on the way to City's hard-fought 2-1 win at Kiwitea St on Saturday. Picture / Kenny Rodger

Hard-fought one-goal victories for top-of-the-table Auckland City and Waitakere United have set up a classic match of the season at Kiwitea St on Saturday.

It might even be a New Zealand Football Championships decider - the round-robin winner will go on to take the all-important home advantage for next month's grand final.

After City's plucky 2-1 over Team Wellington on Saturday, United also had to fight all the way to edge Canterbury United 1-0 at English Park yesterday.

In yesterday's other match Napier City finally got some reward for some useful efforts in recent weeks with a 2-0 away win over Otago United.

The remaining 18th-round clash, a scoreless draw between Waikato FC and bottom-placed YoungHeart Manawatu in Mt Maunganui on Saturday, had some significance in almost certainly assuring Waikato of a top three play-off spot.

Auckland City go into their third cross-town battle of the season with a three-point lead and a handy advantage on goal difference.

Coach Allan Jones will take some confidence from Saturday's win.

On the back foot for long periods, City withstood everything the visitors threw at them and came back to score two decisive goals in a five-minute burst late in the first half.

"That is one of the best games I've seen in this league," said Jones after his team's 11th win of the season. "They [Wellington] can't half play. I'm delighted to take the points."

Rival coach Mick Waitt, obviously disappointed with the result after his team had dominated for long periods and earned a deserved 12-3 corner count, said: "They were never in it ... I'm proud of the way the lads played. They were outstanding.

"Auckland needed a couple of great saves from Ross Nicholson to keep them in it. I think we are the best passing team in the competition.

"We just need to provide a better finish. If we can beat Waikato next week we might still be in it."

City needed 38 minutes to finally get something from the game at Kiwitea St. Jonathan Smith gathered well in central midfield, sent the ball wide to James Pritchett who played it back to Smith, who turned and fired in one action to score.

Smith had a hand in the second when a free kick was pumped deep. Smith rose to head deftly across the face of the goal to Paul Urlovic who provided the finish.

With David Johnston calling the shots in the second spell, the visitors again created half-chances which could have produced goals but for a strong City defensive effort led by the mercurial Nicholson, who produced some outstanding saves.

Twelve minutes from time Team Wellington were finally rewarded when substitute Geoff Brown and Graham Little provided the build-up and Johnston the finish.

Encouraged by that, the visitors continued to press but two brilliant Nicholson saves and the intervention of the upright denied them a deserved second goal.

At English Park, Waitakere spent much of the first half chasing shadows as Canterbury United called the tune. But two minutes before the break Allan Pearce broke from halfway and played a good ball through to Jeremy Christie, who provided the finishing touch.

Both teams fell away a little in the second spell, with the home side denied by Waitakere goalkeeper Simon Eaddy while at the other end Jordan Buchanan produced a fantastic save to keep out a shot from Pearce.

"It is difficult to come to Christchurch, get a battering and come away with two points," Waitakere coach Chris Milicich said. "We defended very well but they played a lot better than when we hammered them 5-2. It has set up the game against Auckland City. I just hope I can get 14 fit players for it."

Second-half goals to Leon Birnie, from the penalty spot, and in-form Chris McIvor earned Napier the points in Dunedin.

The top three

* Auckland City 37pts
* Waitakere 34
* Waikato 28