Auckland City

Team Wellington

4

2

Own goal (Tim SCHAEFFERS) 5'
Emiliano TADE 43'
Luis CORRALES 74'
Manel EXPOSITO 79

Michael WHITE48'
Ethan GALBRAITH 57'

by Bob Pearce at Kiwitea Street
asbpremiership.co.nz

AUCKLAND - Auckland City beat Team Wellington 4-2 at Kiwitea St  but they were given a real fright.

And ironically it was a former Wellington player, Luis Corrales, who stymied their brave second-half comeback.
 
The visitors were 2-0 down at halftime and many of the local fans were already talking up their team in their preparations for the Club World Cup in Japan next month.
 
But the young Wellingtonians had different ideas. They pressed forward, upset Auckland’s measured possession game and scored twice.
 
For 20 minutes the game was very much in the balance.  Enter Corrales as a substitute in the 69th minute. Five minutes later he snaked his way through the defence and produced the perfect finish that had been lacking for much of the time from the Aucklanders.
 
It was his fourth goal in four games against the capital team since he moved north and it left Auckland back in control.

They added a fourth through Manel Exposito, who has scored in every game this season, O-League, ASB Premiership and pre-season.
 
The game had begum much as expected with Auckland dominating possession while Wellington defended valiantly with only sporadic raid upfield, where the rangy Ethan Galbraith waged a game-long battle with the experienced Ivan Vicelich.

The visitors fell behind early when in the fifth minute an Auckland cross from the right was parried by the goalie but ended in the   new Kiwitea net off defender Tim Schaeffers.

It took until the 43rd minute for the home team to add to their tally when Emiliano Tade converted a through pass from David Mulligan.
 
Wellington pressed further forward in the second half and they were rewarded when  Michael White took advantage of some loose defending in the 48th minute.

When Galbraith made it 2-2 with a header after goalie Jacob Spoonley had only parried a shot, the game was wide open with half an hour to play.
 
The Corrales substitution and perhaps some tiring legs in the defenders got Auckland back on track but they had been given a reminder that the Premiership is not a two-horse northern canter.
 
Auckland coach, Ramon Tribulietx, gave credit to the visitors’ effort.
 
“We were in control of the game in the first half but this Wellington team has talent and when we conceded a goal they had a boost and we lost our composure.

“A couple of subs got us back on track. They pushed high but that gave us space behind  and the goals came.”
Wellington coach Matt Calcott was pleased with the way his team responded after going 2-0 down by the break.

“We gave them too much respect in the first half but in the second half we pushed forward and in the first half hour we played with energy and purpose and gave them a bit of a fright. Unfortunately we switched off at vital times.

“By the end of the year this team will be doing very well. I was super proud of their fightback and I’m sure by Christmas they will be a different outfit.”
 

Auckland City

V

Team Wellington

1 Jacob Spoonley (GK)

1 Phil Imray (GK)

5 Angel Berlanga

2 Tim Schaeffers

6 Chad Coombes

4 Michael Eagar

8 David Mulligan

5 Nick Branch

9 Manel Exposito

6 Darren Cheriton

14 Adam Dickinson (McGeorge 76)

8 Michael White  (Duncan 82)

15 Ivan Vicelich

10 Dakota Lucas (Fenton 72)

16 Albert Riera (Koprivcic 61)

11 Tyson Holmes

20 Emiliano Tade

12 Ethan Galbraith

21 Andreu Guerao (Corrales 69)

13 Karl Whalen

22 Andrew Milne

19 James Musa

Substitutes

Substitutes

10 Luis Corrales (on 69)

3 Jamie Duncan (on 82)

11 Daniel Koprivcic (on 61)

7 Wiremu Patrick

17 Adam McGeorge (on 76)

23 Louis Fenton (on 72)

23 Simon Arms

25 Scott Basalaj (RGK)

26 Liam Anderson (RGK)

=goal

=yellow card

=2 yellow cards

= red card

0 mins

Winter has returned to Kiwitea! A chilly wind and grey skies. Who said it was a summer league.

0 more mins

Changes from Auckland's O League team last weekend. Ian Hogg and Alex Feneridis out. Daniel Koprivcic on the bench. In come Emiliano Tade, Andreu Guerao and Andrew Milne. 

0 mins

Auckland playing from clubhouse end.

We're off with Wellington kicking off and first move ending in goal kick

2 mins

Early pressure from Wellington, wit Galbraith making useof hislong legs.

5 mins

GOAL! Ball in from Vicelich. Exposito gets touch but defender (Schaeffers) last in line.

7 mins

Shot by Exposito well saved by Imray

9 mins

Shot by Michael White deflected ove bar, corner cleared

10 mins

Yellow card for Eagar for tackle.

11 mins

Corner by Exposito headed ove top by Berlanga

19 mins

Lob in by Lucas cleared with difficulty as Spoonley is unde pressure from Galbraith.

22 mins

Vicelich backpass just reaches Spoonley as Galbraith closes in.

24 mins

Exposito races through but blocked by Imray. Good save.

31 mins

It's getting a bit willing with several tackles marginal from bot sides.

34 m 

Poor defence by Auckland yields corner to Wellington, first effort only just cleared, second cleared easily.

37 mins

Big buildup by Auckland ends with Coombes firing wide.

43 mins

GOAL! Mulligan slots ball though defence and Tade scores from acute angle

44 mins

Yellow card for wild tackle Mulligan

45 plus one

Halftime 2-0

We're off again with no changes

47 mins

Belanga and Lucas clash. Freekick Wellington. Auckland break but White intercepts cleverly

48 mins

GOAL! Individual effort by Michael White who rounded two defenders and buried his shot

52 mins

Auckland trying to play possession football but being bustled out of it.

54 mins

Exposito sets up Mulligan but he shoots just wide.

57 mins

GOAL! Freekick to Wellington on right and after Spoonley prries ball Galbraith takes advantage to hea home

59 mins

Corner to Auckland, part cleared and Mulligan fires wide.

61 mins

Koprivcic replaces Viera.

63 mins

Exposito through but shot slides just wide. Auckland have been spurred into action.

69 mins

Corrales on for Guerao

71 mins

Coombes yellow for foul on Lucas

74 mins

GOAL! Super sub Corrales finds net after defence opens. Fourth time in a row he has scored against old team Wellington ove two seasns.

76 mins

McGeorge on fo Dickinson.

79 mins

GOAL! Exposito breaks through a tired defence -- keeping up his record of a goal a game tis season in all competitions.

82 mins

Duncan on for White

85 mins

Exposito sets up Tade but his shot bounces off top of bar

89 mins

Three minutes to be added.

93 mins

Final whistle. 4-2 but Wellington gave Auckland a fright. Expect them to be a force this season.