Waitakere United 2
AS Manu Ura 0
Waitakere United got their O-League campaign back on track with an insipid win over Tahiti's AS Manu Ura at Fred Taylor Park yesterday.
United coach Neil Emblen, forced to sit out this second round clash because of a carry-over suspension, was fuming with
his team's effort: "It wasn't pretty ... again," said Emblen in reference to not only this game but the effort six days earlier in beating Canterbury United 1-0 in their NZFC opener.
"At times they were brain-dead. It was very disappointing. They just weren't switched on."
Waitakere played as though it was a case of just turning up and the goals would flow. They never did and in the end they got home with one goal early in the second half and a dubious late penalty. The visitors defended in numbers but Waitakere struggled to exploit the space that created and looked very ordinary.
Set play was a waste of time. Seven first-half corners were fired to the far post and straight into goalkeeper Jonathan Torohia's hands. Torohia was one of the standouts in the Tahitian champion's side but he was rarely under pressure as the home side wasted much of their 70 per cent possession.
The closest Waitakere came to scoring in the first half came in the 18th minute but Dimas Da Silva's shot found the side netting. Allan Pearce had a legitimate call for a penalty in the 33rd minute but Australian referee Kevin Docherty awarded a free kick outside the penalty area.
Pearce and Brent Fisher provided the build-up and Benjamin Totori the finish as Waitakere went ahead in the 55th minute. The scoring was completed six minutes from time when Fisher was challenged by Fraddy Tauihara and the linesman harshly flagged for a foul. Docherty pointed to the spot and Fisher hit home.
It will need a huge step up by the Waitakere players if they are to seriously challenge Auckland City - who three weeks ago beat Manu Ura 5-0 - when the old rivals clash in their O-League duel at the same ground on November 28.
