Auckland FC starts OFC Pro League in style

New Football Oceania Professional League kicks off, in Auckland

In front of a noisy and expectant crowd at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, both sides were cagey in the opening minutes, as South Island United’s forwards Ryan Feutz, David Yoo and former All White Oskar Van Hattum, all made bright starts.

But the more the first half progressed, the more Auckland FC started to get going, and they got their noses in front just after the half-hour mark, with Swedish striker Oscar Faulds scoring from close range, after a perfectly delivered corner from Reid Drake.

Auckland FC grew stronger in the second half, nullifying all South Island United attacks, other than one with 20 minutes left, when Christian Gray touched a long throw to his defensive partner Ollie Van Rijssel, who slashed the ball narrowly wide from ten yards out.

The miss was costly, with Auckland FC doubling their lead in the 83rd minute, when American Jonathan Robinson, on as a second-half substitute, raced into the South Island United box and his cut-back was finished by fellow replacement Bailey Ferguson.

A VAR check followed not long after, after a South Island United defender was ruled to have handled the ball inside the penalty area, following an Emiliano Tade shot.

The resulting spot kick was taken by All Whites international Liam Gillion, and the winger capped a player of the match performance with a goal.

Earlier, in the opening match of the Pro League, Vanuatu United and Fijian team, Bula FC, played out an entertaining 2-2 draw.

Years of dreams, hard-work and planning finally came to fruition, as professional football in the Pacific entered into a new and exciting era, and it didn’t take long for the opening goal to arrive, with Bill Kaltak scoring for Vanuatu United from a corner.

The lead lasted just ten minutes however, when Bula FC’s equaliser arrived, it came via Roy Krishna – returning to the region after a long stint in India.

The second half proved to be low on chances, until pacy Bula FC winger, teenager Kaile Auvray, provided for substitute Nabil Begg, who drove past Vanuatu United goalkeeper Matt Acton, to give the Fijian team the lead.

United threw everything they had in search of a second equaliser, but just when it felt as if a point was slipping away, they were gifted a dramatic late reprieve, when American William Cardona scored from long distance, after goalkeeper Didier Desprez spilled the effort into the roof of the net and ensure the spoils were shared.

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