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Tade revels in 140th goal

Words: ACFC Media

Wednesday 19 October 2022

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Emiliano Tade scored his 140th goal for Auckland City FC in the 2-2 draw with Birkenhead United and reflects on a tough day at the office for the Navy Blues.

Trailing 2-0 with just eight minutes to go and down to ten men, Sam Brotherton lashed home a superb controlled volley before Tade beat two defenders before slipping home the equaliser four minutes into additional time.

Tade has played 214 games for Auckland City FC and is second on the all-time list for most appearances behind Angel Berlanga who has played 228 games since 2010-11 season.

140 goals in 214 games is a great record by any measure but Tade's post match remarks were aimed very specifically at the team aspect of last week's last gasp recovery at Birkenhead United.

"This team has very special character and personality. Birkenhead United was a very tough game.

"Very hard in a lot of ways - we had prepared very hard for the game all week but United were very enthusiastic, motivated and they put in a lot of running and they're energetic, tactically very good and technically very good.

"We knew that's what they would bring, this is part of football and in football sometimes it comes down to the little details.

"Our team has a lot of that as well and a lot of character. You could see players playing out of position like Reid Drake, players like Jordan Vale giving us non-stop running all over the pitch.

Some outrageous strikes last weekend in the men's #NZNationalLeague Championship!

But which one gets your vote for Goal of The Week? @BUAFC_NZ @CUFC1970 @AucklandCity_FC pic.twitter.com/Q6LhuHqwCM
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) October 18, 2022

"This is what makes a good team an even better team," Tade said.

One man who stood between City and a point was Birkenhead United goalkeeper Silvio Rodic.

The former Croatia age-group international made several top saves including one world class effort to deny Tade from a long range free-kick late on.

Tade is a confirmed admirer of the former Eastern Suburbs and North Shore United stopper.

"Silvio Rodic and I go way back and we know each other and we had a bit of banter before the game today.

"Silvio is someone who has been around for a long time and he knows the players and he is a very good goalkeeper.

"Sometimes it is what it is, it is football, sometimes you score past the goalkeeper and some days you don't.

"I said to Silvio after the game that it was 1-1 between us in the individual battle and its good to have those connections in football," he said.

As for the red card given to Cam Howieson with 13 minutes left of Saturday's pulsating encounter, Tade was adamant Howieson and City were shortchanged.

"For me, it wasn't a red card, I think the game went out of control very early on and there were a lot of those rough tackles and it could've gone either way.

"But we always believe we can come back from any situation but maybe the injustice of the red card gave us that extra motivation to come back, its the type of thing I like to believe in, but really, who knows?," he said.

One feeling Tade said never gets old is the emotion of seeing the ball fly past a goalkeeper.

"To see the ball hit the back of the net - I don't like to use profanity, but when the ball hit the back of the net the feeling was unf------believable.

"It was a great feeling, especially as a striker, its what a striker works for and the feeling was incredible when we drew level."

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