By TERRY MADDADFORD
The odds-makers got it horribly wrong in sending Otago United out as nine-to-one shots in their New Zealand Football Championship clash with unbeaten Auckland City at Kiwitea St yesterday.
One goal, 14 minutes from time and scored by Vanuatu international Victor Maleb, was enough to give the southerners a
deserved upset win and stun City's faithful.
In Hamilton, Waikato FC scored their first home win of the season, holding on to beat a disappointing Team Wellington 3-2 after leading 3-0 on the half an hour.
For Mick Waitt and his star-studded team from the Capital, it was the continuation of a miserable, winless start to their season.
The shocks keep coming. Young Heart Manawatu set the tempo on Friday night with their 3-2 away win over bottom-place Napier City who, like Team Wellington, have been abject disappointments.
In picking up their second win of the season, Otago United have joined City and Canterbury United on eight points while Waikato have moved up to fifth.
From the time Adam Crump put Waikato ahead in the 12th minute there was the feeling this would be their day.
Brett Derry capitalised on a defensive blunder for an easy second goal and turned the screws with his second before the half hour with a superb solo effort. Rupert Ryan got one back before halftime and when Graham Little grabbed one in the 73rd minute, the visitors closed for the kill.
Auckland City were disappointing. They rarely tested Otago goalkeeper Lutz Pfannenstiel.
Their best chance fell to former All White Paul Urlovic but from right in front and just a metre from the goal in the 55th minute, he miskicked a good ball played in by James Pritchett.
The game-breaking goal came when Vanuatu defender Graham Demas, who had been steady throughout, sent a defence-splitting pass to Maleb who played a neat one-two with himself before slotting a well-taken goal.
The Vanuatu duo and young Michael Eisenhut shone for Otago United, while Pritchett was the best of a sometimes ordinary City side.
The attention now switches to today's game at Christchurch's English Park.
If Canterbury do not stop Waitakere United, the Aucklanders could find themselves seven points clear by the end of the day.
