Match Preview - City gear up for Albany Cup clash

Words: ACFC Media

Monday 13 June 2022

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Albany United will be shown total respect when they take on Auckland City FC in the Chatham Cup 2nd Round at the Croatian Cultural Society tonight.

The Rosedale Park-based club sit ninth in the Lotto NRFL 1st Division but have demonstrated a liking for away matches with all of their four wins this season registered on the road.

Manurewa (4-0), Metro FC (5-3), Onehunga-Mangere United (2-1) and Waitemata (1-0) have all felt the full force of an Albany United beating on home soil and Navy Blues coach Albert Riera and senior player Ryan De Vries won't accept anything less than total concentration from City.

Riera said: "One off games in the Chatham Cup mean we're facing an Albany United side that has nothing to lose - that's the reality.

"That means it's going to be important for us to be very concentrated throughout the 90 minutes, especially after a short turn around from Saturday's game playing Takapuna with ten men for a large part of the match.

"That means we're going to give some players an opportunity to get some minutes and I am sure they are going to take their chance and step up."

De Vries said it was vital Auckland City FC turned in a disciplined performance.

"This game is very important for us. The Chatham Cup is always a big game, it doesn't matter who you are playing against and I am sure Albany United will definitely be up for it.

"We can't afford to be complacent. We've worked too hard so far this season to take our eyes off our objectives. I'm enjoying my football more now than I have in the past two years and believe our team can achieve great things.

"I am very grateful to have had a professional career overseas but now that I am home and playing under Albert there is just a good feeling around the squad that we can do well.

"I also enjoy my dad being able to come and see me play along with my wife and our children, and my brother. My father watched every game I played when I was in Japan and Ireland but only on a laptop screen, so to be able to enjoy that with him in person is very special," he said.

Riera agreed with De Vries assessment that there can be no underestimating Albany United this evening.

"Ryan is a very experienced player and he talks a lot of sense when he says we have to avoid complacency. He's been around the game long enough to know that any opponent can take full advantage if you are not focused on your task," he said.

One player definitely missing for Auckland City FC is top scorer Angus Kilkolly who was sent off after 39 minutes in the Takapuna AFC game.

Kilkolly is suspended for three games which means he misses Albany United, Manukau United - if Auckland City FC progress to the 3rd Round tonight - and Hamilton Wanderers at home on the 25 June.

Two other players are out of contention with Alfie Rogers away with work commitments and Jordan Vale ill.

Returning to the squad are goalkeeper Conor Tracey, Mario Ilich and Sam Brotherton.

Tonight's game kicks off at 7.00pm NZDT.

Ends

Match Details
Chatham Cup 2nd Round
Tuesday 14 June 2022
Auckland City FC v Albany United
Croatian Cultural Society, Te Atatu
Kick-off: 7.00pm NZDT

AC: 1. Conor TRACEY (GK), 2. Mario ILICH, 3. Adam MITCHELL, 4. Christian GRAY, 6. Matt ELLIS, 8. Gerard GARRIGA, 10. Dylan MANICKUM, 11. Ryan DE VRIES, 12. Sam BROTHERTON, 13. Nathan LOBO, 15. Aidan CAREY, 17. Reid DRAKE, 19. Liam GILLION, 20. Emiliano TADE, 21 Ilham HAMEEDI, 24. Cam BROWN (GK).

COACH: Albert RIERA
ASSISTANT COACH: Ivan VICELICH
GOALKEEPER COACH: Enaut ZUBIKARAI
MANAGER: Keith COTON
ANALYST: Jarrod WALLACE
PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE

PLAYER TO WATCH
Former All Whites and Auckland City FC midfielder Jason Hicks made a name for himself in the A-League with a stint at the Wellington Phoenix. Hicks was signed for the Navy Blues by Ramon Tribulietx back in the summer of 2012 and was part of the squad that competed at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in a 1-0 defeat to Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

COACH
Clive Campbell is a name synonymous with football in New Zealand after a professional career as a player and as an All White. Famous for leading Uni-Mount Wellington to Chatham Cup and National League glory during the early part of this century, Campbell also has a tie to Kiwitea Street having been Colin Tuaa's assistant coach during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 campaigns.

ABOUT ALBANY UNITED FC
Formed in 1977 as Albany Wairau United, the club changed its name to Albany United FC in 1996. United has enjoyed modest success across its 45 year history winning the Lotto NRFL 1st Division title in 2005 and the Lotto NRFL 2nd Division title in 2019. Prior to that, United enjoyed two honours with an NRFL 4th Division title win in 1985 and a 3rd Division Knock Out Cup win two years later.

CHATHAM CUP RECORD
While Albany United, like Auckland City FC, have yet to lift the Chatham Cup, they did enjoy their best ever run in the competition just three seasons ago when they reached the sixth round. Wins over Waiheke United (5-1), Taupo (3-2), Metro FC (1-0), Eastern Suburbs (1-0) set up a mouthwatering showdown with Napier City Rovers, a exciting game that ended 2-2. Sadly for United they bowed out 4-3 on penalties at the quarter final stage.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Albany United FC and Auckland City FC have never previously met in any form of match, be it friendly or competitive, although United's biggest ever Chatham Cup defeat was recorded in 2004 when they were thrashed 8-0 by Central United FC.

CURRENT FORM
26.03.22 v Northern Rovers (A) lost 0-1 (Jack PIRIES 47')
02.04.22 v Manurewa (A) won 4-0 (- | Jack BEGUELY 5', 28', 61', 65')
10.04.22 v Tauranga City (H) lost 1-2 (Jack BEGULEY 31' | Braxton FISHER-VANDERVEEN 67', Mirko BRINKMANN 29')
15.04.22 v Fencibles United (A) lost 0-1 (Josh HARFORD 77' | - )
18.04.22 v East Coast Bays (H) lost 0-5 (- | Judd BAKER 54', 65', 70', Liam ANDERSEN 73', Keegan KELLY 88')
23.04.22 v Ellerslie (A) lost 1-5 (Hazem ALFAYAD 22'. Rowan CORBETT 40', 75', Tom DURKIN 45'+1', Allan McBRIDE 71'| Thomson NKOY 8')
30.04.22 v Waitemata FC (A) won 1-0 ( - | Benjamin ROBERTS 82')
07.05.22 v Mount Albert Ponsonby (H) drew 2-2 (Finn SMITH 31', Thomson NKOY 72' | Federico BONO 29', Bradley RATHBUN 86')
21.05.22 v Onehunga-Mangere United (A) won 2-1 (Tom WEBB 15', Jason HICKS 50' | Gilberto SOUZA 59')
27.05.22 v Metro FC (A) won 5-3 (Finn SMITH 22', Jack BEGUELY 36', Tomas MOSQUERA 54', Benjamin ROBERTS 73', 78' | Jaydyn ENGLEFIELD 58', Josh TURNER 63', Finn McCRACKEN 87')
04.06.22 v Northern Rovers (H) Match Postponed
12.06.22 v Manurewa (H) lost 1-5 (Thomson NKOY 45' | Monty PATTERSON 63', 90'+1', Mohammed NABEEL 75', 84', Agustin CONTRATTI 86')