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Auckland City FC versus Canterbury United
Played on 11/04/2010 at Semi Finals 2nd Leg |
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Season Over as City Fail to Fire
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Yellow Cards |
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Adam Dickinson |
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Chad Coombes |
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by Bob Pearce at Kiwitea Street
www.nzfc.co.nz
Russell Kamo led from the front as Canterbury United beat Auckland City 3-0 to overturn a 2-1 deficit and earn a place in the NZFC grand final for the first time in four years.
It was a well-deserved reward for a team coming off one of their worst seasons at this level in 2008-9 and it sets up an intriguing clash with Waitakere, whom they beat 4-0 in Christchurch during the regular season, in the final on April 24 at Fred Taylor Park.
The 26-year-old Kamo came back home after spells at Olympic in Wellington and in the Brisbane State league. He was the spearhead of the Christchurch plan to take the game to Auckland from the start.
After 26 minutes he jinked round his marker and scored the opening goal that raised Canterbury confidence. He added a second in the 57th minute with another clever move around a strangely static Auckland defence.
The coup de grace came two minutes into time added on from substitute Andrew Barton when the Aucklanders were all forward seeking salvation.
It was a cracking game with plenty of football played by both teams, making best use of the immaculate Kiwitea surface.
Auckland never quite played at their best but all credit to Canterbury who were positive and, feeding off Aaron Clapham's skills in the midfield, began to find gaps in the Auckland defence.
Auckland had reason to be grateful to goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley, who managed a double save from Clapham and Kamo in the 39th minute.
At the other end there were chances but no real finish as crosses sailed wide or were cleared by the dominant head of veteran Gareth Rowe.
Perhaps the best chance to the home side came from one of several freekicks from the educated feet of Ky-Hyung Lee.
His best effort dipped just over the bar and left the Korean with his head in his hands in frustration.
When Auckland needed goals to get ahead, they threw plenty of bodies forward but couldn't finish the job. At the death goalie Tom Batty made a great catch under pressure to keep the lead intact.
"For most of the season we've been playing one up front and it's hard working on your own," said a jubilant Kamo.
"Today we had to take it to them and we pushed more forward which made it easier for me."
Canterbury coach Keith Braithwaite, who deserves credit for reviving a faltering franchise, was pleased for Kamo but praised his whole squad.
"Russell led from the front but everybody did their job. We knew we had to push forward and that's what we did.
"At the start of the season we set goals for ourselves and the key was we had to believe in ourselves. We believed in ourselves today and on our day we can beat anyone."
A bitterly disappointed Auckland coach, Paul Posa, congratulated Canterbury and wished them well for the final.
"Canterbury played really well. They took their goals well and we became a bit frantic. We had chances but didn't finish."
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Club World Cup December 2009 - UAE |
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