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Grand Final 2024
City Comes From Behind To Claim Tenth Title
by Jeremy Ruane
Auckland City scored a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Birkenhead United on 1 December to win the National League Grand Final in front of 4172 fans at North Harbour Stadium, and in doing so, clinched their record tenth National League title.

United enjoyed the better of the early exchanges, but it wasn't until the eleventh minute that they carved out an opening which allowed them to test Conor Tracey, City's 'keeper smothering a twenty-five yarder from Curtis Hughes after a strong break by Haris Zeb.

City responded two minutes later via Jerson Lagos' slaloming run through all-comers, but United's defence stood firm, and repeated the dose in the twentieth minute, when Kailan Gould, Myer Bevan and Stipe Ukich carved out a smart attack, only to be thwarted by the sound defensive work of Dino Botica, Luke Jorgensen and Jaylen Rodwell.

Just prior to this, United went close to breaking the deadlock in the eighteenth minute. Zeb and Monty Patterson combined on the left, with the latter's low cross finding Hughes sliding in at the near post. So, too, was Michael den Heijer, whose contribution ensured parity prevailed on this occasion.

After Silvio Rodic had parried Lagos' low-struck twenty-five yard free-kick to safety, the deadlock was broken by United in the 23rd minute. Daniel Bunch played the ball wide to Dylan Connolly, whose early cross deceived Tracey, who was left in no man's land, and could only look on as Patterson guided a looping header over him and into the back of the unguarded net.

That goal was deserved reward for Birkenhead's more assertive start to proceedings, and they continued to keep City at arm's length throughout the bulk of the next twenty minutes, while themselves going close to doubling their advantage on two occasions.

Just two minutes after taking the lead, Hughes headed over the bar five minutes before half-time, Bunch, Patterson and the overlapping Connolly having created the opening via a slick raid.

Then, five minutes before half-time, Bunch took the ball down the right, and managed to get past Nathan Lobo and in along the by-line before pulling the ball back into the stride of Patterson. A surprisingly tame effort gave Tracey no cause for concern, but how United paid for Patterson's profligacy on this occasion.

Just four minutes later, and a tad against the general run of play, Auckland drew level. A well-worked move featuring Yuki Aizu, Lagos, Gerard Garriga and Bevan culminated in a clever angled run from Gould, who got past the last defender and drove a cross into the goalmouth which the retreating figure of Jorgensen, with Garriga on his shoulder, could only turn into his own net from two yards out.

Birkenhead responded well to the goal, Hughes driving a shot into the side-netting from a stoppage time corner. City responded via a Ukich raid which was halted in uncompromising fashion by Zeb, whose rugby tackle on the striker earned him a yellow card, and two for City players who protested a little too strongly that referee Calvin Berg had opted for the wrong hue on this occasion.

City were the more assertive team in the early stages of the second spell, with Bevan's curling effort five minutes after play resumed drawing a fine parried save low to his left by Rodic. The 'keeper then excelled himself in the 57th minute, producing a fine double save to thwart both Mario Ilich and - brilliantly - Bevan after Gould's well-flighted corner to the far post.

After fine den Heijer defending denied Patterson in the 64th minute, City responded via Dylan Manickum and Garriga, who combined to present Ukich with a fifteen-yarder which Rodic blocked to safety.

When City next attacked, in the 68th minute, it was via a well-flighted Lobo free-kick which lured Rodic out of goal, but saw him beaten in the air by Ilich, whose deft header flew narrowly past the far post.

Birkenhead were really struggling to deal with City's dominance of possession, particularly since half-time, and were feeding on scraps from a team which will represent New Zealand and Oceania at the FIFA Club World Cup Finals in the USA in June next year.

And they nearly paid a very heavy price nine minutes before full-time, as referee Berg awarded Auckland a penalty. Soon after Ryan de Vries headed a Lobo corner narrowly over the bar, Ukich drove a cross into the area which struck the arm of Connolly at point-blank range.

Referee Berg was in no doubt that it was a case of handball, and didn't hesitate in pointing to the spot, prompting United players to protest, a little too strongly in Bunch's case. Referee Berg wasn't interested in their protests, however, but the words of assistant referee, Ashton Davenport, carried far more weight - he'd seen the incident on the viewing screen behind the goal.

As a result, Mr Berg made the big call to reverse his decision and restart play with a drop ball. Cue City protests, with their prospects of potentially winning the game from this penalty opportunity having been denied them. But the referee was as adamant about this call as he had been about his original one - a drop ball in favour of the defending side.
Encouraged by this let-off, United went close to winning it five minutes from time, Lobo's goal-line clearance denying Botica's header from a Connolly corner. Soon after, Patterson thundered a shot past the near post as the North Harbour side, playing in their maiden final in this competition, looked to finish the contest before the fast-approaching prospect of extra time became a reality.

Alas, it was the last shot of the regulation ninety minutes, while just one was mustered during the first fifteen minutes of extra time, substitute Troy Putt's driving run inspiring Patterson's 98th minute surge which resulted in his shot being parried to safety by Tracey.

Otherwise there was much huff and puff, but neither side looked like blowing their opponents' house down. But that changed in the second half of extra time, with den Heijer's acrobatic volley landing on the roof of Rodic's net after the goalkeeper had punched Lobo's 106th minute corner out from beneath his own crossbar.

United responded instantly via Putt, who powered down the right before delivering a cross which the combined efforts of den Heijer - a vital back-heeled block - and Adam Mitchell succeeded in clearing before Andrew Cromb could exploit the opportunity.

The deadlock was broken nine minutes from time, City taking the lead thanks to the combination play of three of their substitutes. De Vries secured possession on the left and linked with Manickum to present the unmarked Angus Kilkolly with a great chance to score.

His opting to control the ball was a poor one, however, allowing United's defence to close him down. But Kilkolly, who knew full well he'd spurned a terrific opening, swiftly regained possession at Putt's expense, then worked a one-two with Manickum - a measured return pass - before steering the ball under the diving figure of Rodic into the far corner of the net.

City's bench exploded with joy, no one more so than coach Albert Riera, who had been animatedly prowling his technical area throughout the contest. But they still had nine minutes to negotiate, during which a super run by Putt was only thwarted by a desperate Kentaro Ozaki challenge as United strove hard for an equaliser.

Composure wasn't part of their armoury in the dying minutes, however, with fruitless long balls forwarded handing City possession, and when substitute Miles Palmer picked up his second yellow card, having only entered the fray in the 106th minute, the game was up for Birkenhead - Auckland City were New Zealand's champion team yet again.

City's triumph completed a treble for 2024, and they were just a Chatham Cup Final penalty shoot-out away from securing a clean sweep of the silverware for the year, with the Northern Premier League and OFC Champions League titles the other honours they've claimed in this, the "Navy Blues"' twentieth season.

Indeed, what the club has achieved since being founded in 2004 is, frankly, astounding. In that time they've won ten National League titles, and been runners-up on six further occasions. They've also won twelve OFC Champions League crowns, four successive Northern Premier League titles, one Chatham Cup, seven Charity Cups, seven National Youth League titles, and two one-off competitions, the OFC President's Cup and the Lunar New Year Cup.

Not forgetting, of course, their exploits on the world stage at twelve FIFA Club World Cup Finals, at which no other club on the planet has appeared more often. The undoubted highlights of their involvement in this competition saw them finish fifth in 2009, then a stunning third five years later, as the amateur outfit from Sandringham made their mark in the game the world plays.

2025 will see Auckland City facing arguably their most daunting year so far, having qualified for the revamped FIFA Club World Cup Finals. This will see them taking on a guaranteed three opponents in the USA in June, all of whom will likely be teams with tremendous pedigrees in the game.

Before that, of course, they face a two-legged play-off with Birkenhead in early March to qualify for the OFC Champions League, which takes place in Honiara in the first half of April, the winner of which qualifies for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup later in the year.

Then, of course, their domestic commitments - the bread and butter of the Charity Cup (against Wellington Olympic), the Chatham Cup and the Northern Premier League, from which they'll be looking to qualify for the National League again … that's potentially fifty games Auckland City could be involved in by this time next year.

They'll certainly be looking forward to the close-season break that's now upon us. Enjoy yours!

Auckland:     Tracey; Aizu, Mitchell (booked 45), den Heijer, Lobo; Gould (Manickum, 60), Ilich, Garriga (booked, 45) (Ozaki, 72); Lagos (Murati, 53), Bevan (de Vries, 72), Ukich (Kilkolly, 91)
Birkenhead:     Rodic; Botica (booked, 105 (Palmer, 106 (booked, 118, 120 - sent off)), Jorgensen, Rodwell (Nabenu, 88); Connolly, Cromb, Zeb (booked, 45 (Reid, 85)), Van den Hoven; Hughes (Putt, 96), Patterson, Bunch (booked, 81)
Referee:     Calvin Berg


National League