City motivated for Chatham Cup clash

Words: ACFC Media

Friday 29 July 2022

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Brave, dynamic and very mobile - that's how Albert Riera describes Dunedin City Royals ahead of tomorrow's Chatham Cup quarter-final showdown at Logan Park.

Dunedin City Royals are a new club, born from an amalgamation of Dunedin Technical, Melchester Rovers, Caversham and Hereweka, and led by former Southern United coach Richard Murray.

While their season got off to a rocky start, Dunedin City Royals form has stabilised recently making them a tough prospect according to Riera.

"Dunedin City Royals are in the quarter finals of the Chatham Cup for a reason.

"We've watched some footage of them and they're a very good team.

"They have players that are brave, that want the ball, they ask for it and they are very mobile and very dynamic.

"But we've thoroughly prepared for this game and watched some videos and I believe we are in a good space.

"Our players are very, very keen to go to Dunedin and very motivated.

"At the end of the day, this is a Chatham Cup quarter-final and we have to go down there and do the business," Riera said.

With Auckland City FC wrapping up the Northern League title without losing a game, Riera says motivation for the long trek south is in bountiful supply.

"Everyone is very happy to have won the Northern League but unfortunately at this club we cannot relax, we cannot switch off and we all know that.

"We have very important games coming up. One of the most important parts of the season is just around the corner, which is why its very good to see how the players train and how motivated they are.

"This is especially because of the challenge we have ahead of us this Saturday against Dunedin.

"It's going to be a very, very hard game especially with the element of flying down which is something we haven't had to do this season.

"Things you don't always do normally takes a little bit of time to get used to," he said.

One player who is still in the thoughts of Riera and his coaching team is Nathan Lobo.

The 19-year-old left back made his last appearance for the club at Kiwitea Street in last week's 2-1 win over Bay Olympic before heading off to the USA for a college scholarship in Seattle.

But Lobo has two games left to leave an impression with Saturday's game in Dunedin and the first game of the OFC Champions League with Hieghene Sport a week from today his final games in Navy Blue.

"Nathan is a player who has played very, very well, he's some who has helped us this season and he's a great character and a great lad as well.

"The positive to his departure is that we have a lot of players who can step in.

"The important thing is now we have everyone healthy and we don't have any injuries with the exception of Angus Kilkolly.

"We're in a very good space to face the challenges ahead of us starting on Saturday with the Chatham Cup quarter final with Dunedin City Royals."

The Dunedin City Royals versus Auckland City FC match kicks off at 1.00pm NZDT and will be live streamed at this link.

In other Chatham Cup quarter-final action, Wellington Olympic host Cashmere Technical, Mirimar Rangers are visited by Hamilton Wanderers while Waiheke United entertain Eastern Suburbs at Onetangi Domain on Waiheke Island.

These three quarter-finals kick-off at 2pm NZDT.

Ends

Match Details
Chatham Cup Quarter Final
Saturday 30 July 2022
Dunedin City Royals v Auckland City FC
Logan Park, Dunedin
Kick-off: 1.00pm NZDT

AC: 1. Conor TRACEY (GK), 2. Mario ILICH, 3. Adam MITCHELL, 5. Angel BERLANGA, 7. Cam HOWIESON, 8. Gerard GARRIGA, 10. Dylan MANICKUM, 11. Ryan DE VRIES, 12. Sam BROTHERTON, 13. Nathan LOBO, 15. Aidan CAREY, 16. Joe LEE, 17. Reid DRAKE, 20. Emiliano TADE, 23. Alfie ROGERS, 24. Cam BROWN (GK).

COACH: Albert RIERA
ASSISTANT COACH: Ivan VICELICH
GOALKEEPER COACH: Enaut ZUBIKARAI
MANAGER: Keith COTON
ANALYST: Adria CASALS
TRAINER: Alejo LEGUIZAMON
TECHNICAL: Jarrod WALLACE
PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE

The Livestream Link - Match Day 
The livestream of the Chatham Cup quarter-final will be posted on the Auckland City FC website at www.aucklandcityfc.com on Match Day and also be available via the club's social media platforms on YouTube (Media Auckland City FC), Instagram (instagram.com/officialaucklandcityfc), Twitter (twitter.com/AucklandCity_FC) and Facebook (facebook.com/thenavyblues).

Live Stream Link: Dunedin City Royals v Auckland City FC - Chatham Cup Quarter Final, Saturday 30 July 2022, 1pm kick-off

Clubrooms
Auckland City FC clubrooms will be open for the live broadcast of the Chatham Cup quarter-final with Dunedin City Royals from 12pm NZDT.

Sponsors
Auckland City FC acknowledges the co-operation of Ockham, Vuksich & Borich, We Are Canterbury, Engage Video, New Zealand Football and Dunedin City Royals in the delivery of this livestream.

Future Livestreams
The club understands that both Chatham Cup semi-finals will also be live streamed courtesy of New Zealand Football. Those matches are scheduled for the weekend of July 27-28, 2022.

DUNEDIN CITY ROYALS v AUCKLAND CITY FC
This match is being live streamed with the support of our chief sponsors Ockham and also Vuksich & Borich. The details of the live stream will be published on the club website and social media networks.

OTHER CHATHAM CUP QUARTER FINALS - ALL MATCHES KICK OFF 2.00PM NZDT
Waiheke United v Eastern Suburbs - Live Stream
Miramar Rangers v Hamilton Wanderers
Wellington Olympic v Cashmere Technical

ABOUT DUNEDIN CITY ROYALS
Dunedin City Royals FC are a collaboration of prominent Dunedin football clubs Dunedin Technical, Caversham, Melchester Rovers and Hereweka. In 2022, we have fully merged and become one club.Established in 2021,and fielded teams in the ODT Southern Premier League, qualified for the Southern League and fielded teams in both the U14 and U16 Youth Development leagues.

The club also ran a First Kicks Programme (4-6yo’s) and a Skills Centre (9-12yo’s). aim to be a genuine pillar of the Dunedin community, where people can choose to play for pure enjoyment, along with providing aspiring players the opportunity to be the best they can be.

The centrepiece of the Dunedin City Royals logo, the northern royal albatross – is not only a symbol of the area but shares some characteristics we like to associate with the club and its people. Courageous, nurturing, graceful and loyal. long with the albatross, the hills and sea are obvious features of our geography. The four prongs of the crown represent the four clubs coming together as one – Dunedin Technical, Caversham, Melchester Rovers and Hereweka.

HEAD COACH - RICHARD MURRAY
Head coach Richard Murray is a familiar face to many Auckland City FC supporters due to Murray's previous tenure as coach of Southern United in the ISPS Handa Premiership. Murray is assisted by Aaron Burgess, himself a former Southern United player perhaps better known for his career with Dunedin Technical.


PLAYER TO WATCH - JARED GROVE
26 year old defender Jared Grove has experience in the New Zealand Football Championship with Southern United and has also turned out in the past for Caversham. Originally from Auckland, Grove turned out for East Coast Bays and moved to Dunedin to complete a double degree. He made the breakthrough into the New Zealand Football Championship four years ago. Although injury has held him back his importance to Dunedin City Royals is underlined by Richard Murray's decision to make him captain.


CLUB HONOURS
Football South Premier League winners 2021

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
None

BIGGEST WIN (LEAGUE)
v. Northern (H) won 12-0, 2021

BIGGEST DEFEAT (LEAGUE)
v. Mosgiel (H) lost 1-5, 2021

BIGGEST WIN (CHTAHAM CUP)
v. Wanaka (H) won 4-0, 2021

BIGGEST DEFEAT (CHATHAM CUP)
v. Otago University (H) lost 1-4, 2021

CURRENT FORM - SOUTHERN LEAGUE

26.03.22 v Mosgiel (H) won 2-0 (Olivier Cassidy, Oban Hawkins)
02.04.22 v Christchurch United (A) lost 1-4 (Connor Neil)
09.04.22 v Costal Spirits (H) drew 3-3 (Ollie Petersen, En Watanabe, Ben Stanley)
16.04.22 v Ferrymead Bays () lost 2-3 (Connor Neil, Ben Stanley)
24.04.22 v Nelson Suburbs (A) lost 0-3
30.04.22 v Nomads United (H) won 5-1 (En Watanabe 3, Ollie Petersen, Olivier Cassidy)
07.05.22 v Selwyn United (A) won 4-1 (Ollie Petersen 2, Ben Stanley, En Watanabe)
21.05.22 v Green Island (H) won 5-0 (Ryan Fleming 3, En Watanabe, Ben Stanley)
28.05.22 v Cashmere Technical (A) lost 2-4 (Oban Hawkins, En Watanabe)
11.06.22 v Mosgiel (A) won 2-0 (Ollie Petersen, Ben Stanley)
25.06.22 v Christchurch United (H) lost 3-4 (Ben Stanley, Connor Neil, Ollie Petersen)
02.07.22 v Coastal Spirit (A) lost 0-1
16.07.22 v Ferrymead Bays (A) won 3-1 (Kaleb De Groot-Green, Connor Neil, En Watanabe)

CURRENT FORM - CHATHAM CUP
06.06.22 v Queenstown AFC (H) won 6-0 (Oban Hawkins, Connor Neil 3, En Watanabe, Ben Stanley)
19.06.22 v Mosgiel (A) won 2-1 (Kaleb De Groot-Green, En Watanabe)
09.07.22 v Nelson Suburbs (H) won 3-1 (Ben Stanley 2, Will Turner)
30.07.22 v Auckland City FC (H)

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