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Navy Blues set to host Dom Road Derby

Words: ACFC Media

Saturday 28 October 2023

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Auckland City FC are aiming top make it six wins from as many games in the National League when they host close neighbours and rivals Auckland United FC in Sunday’s Dominion Road Derby at Kiwitea Street.

Matches between these two sides are always hotly contested and unpredictable affairs and the upcoming encounter is promising to be the same.

The visitors currently sit in fourth spot on the National League ladder wit two wins, two draws and a loss form their five matches so far and they will be desperate for the points in order to keep their top two hopes alive.

Meanwhile the Navy Blues who lead the pack with maximum 15 points after five rounds will be determined to maintain their winning run.

City defender Mario Ilich is not expecting too many surprises.

“Auckland United are absolutely pushing for those top two spots so it’s going to be a huge game.

"We are grateful we are home in front of our own fans but yeah they know us inside out and we know them very well as well so we just going to treat it as another final like the last five games we have gone into so far and hopefully we get the job done.

“They are always a tough opponent, they have lethal weapons up front and always solid at the back so they are a very good side and we have be at the top of our game once again but the boys are very confident and we are looking g forward to these last couple of games to really cement our spot in the top two so hopefully this weekend is a step in that direction,” he explained.

Head coach Albert Riera is adamant his players are well aware of the task still ahead of them and fully focused on finishing the job.

“Yeah, they are very high on confidence but at the same time they know how tough every game is and they know how difficult every game in the National League becomes and they have to be at their best.

“In a few games we probably started a bit slow and we got punished and they know that, it’s been a learning experience for all of us.

“We still have to play a lot of games against teams in their best form right now so we keep our feet on the ground, keep working hard and I’m very glad with the way they are training because that’s the best symptom, when you see a team training the way they are training to see that they don’t believe the job is done and that’s the key I would say,” insisted the Navy Blues coach

The two teams have meet three times this season with the Navy Blues coming out on top on every occasion.

The last Dominion Road Derby, in Round 16 of the Northern League on August 14, finished in a 2-1 win for City at Kiwitea Street with Ryan De Vries and Joe Lee scoring for the home side.

The other two games between the two sides, one in the Northern League the other in Round 2 of the Chatham Cup, have both ended 2-0 in favour of the Navy Blues at Keith Hay Park.

A ceremony at Sunday’s ‘Dominion Road Derby’ will see the unveiling of the newly-named grandstand at Kiwitea Street.

The stand will be named after Central United stalwart David Vlatkovich, a long-time player and advocate for the club who died on May 12, 2018.

HEAD TO HEAD - AUCKLAND UNITED FC

2021
v. Auckland United FC (H) won 3-1 (Reid Drake 2, Angus Kilkolly | Kingsley Sinclair) - Northern League

2022
v. Auckland United FC (H) won 2-0 Dylan Manickum, Cam Howieson) - Northern League
v. Auckland United FC (A) lost 0-2 (Oliver Fay, Regont Murati) - Northern League
v. Auckland United FC (A) lost 2-3 (Emiliano Tade 2 | Nic Zambrano, Oliver Fay, Guy-Franck Essome) - National League Championship

2023

v. Auckland United FC (A) won 2-0 (Liam Gillion 2) - Northern League
v. Auckland United FC (A) won 2-0 (Ryan De Vries, Liam Gillion) - Chatham Cup R2
v. Auckland United FC (H) won 2-1 (Ryan De Vries, Joe Lee) - Northern League

RECENT FORM - AUCKLAND UNITED

NATIONAL LEAGUE

21 October v. Wellington Olympic (H) lost 1-3
14 October v. Petone FC (A) won 1-0
7 October v. Christchurch Utd (H) drew 2-2
30 September v. Eastern Suburbs AFC (H) drew 1-1
24 September v.Cashmere Technical (A) won 2-1

NORTHERN LEAGUE

2 September v. Eastern Suburbs AFC (A) drew 2-2
26 August v. Melville Utd AFC (H) won 4-0
18 August v. Western Springs AFC (A) lost 1-4
12 August v. West Coast Rangers (H) won 4-0
5 August v. Birkenhead AFC (A) won 3-0

Ends

Match Details
National League Championship R6
Sunday 29 October 2023
Auckland City FC v Auckland United
Kiwitea Street, Sandrigham
Kick-off: 2.00pm NZDT

AC 2023 NLC SQUAD: 1-Conor TRACEY (GK), 2- Mario ILICH, 3- Adam MITCHELL, 4-Christian GRAY, 7-Cam HOWIESON (c), 8-Gerard GARRIGA, 9-Angus KILKOLLY, 10-Dylan MANICKUM, 11-Ryan DE VRIES, 12-Regont MURATI, 13-Nathan LOBO, 14-Jordan VALE, 15- Aidan CAREY, 16-Joseph LEE, 17-Oliver COLLOTY, 18. Sebastian CIGANDA (GK), 19-Liam GILLION, 20- Emiliano TADE, 21- Takuya IWATA, 22-Tong ZHO, 23- Alfie ROGERS, 24-Joe WALLIS (GK), 25- Michael DEN HEIJER, 26-Rayan TAYEB, 27-Stipe UKICH, 28-Adam BELL, 29- Yuta NARUSE

COACH: Albert RIERA
ASSISTANT COACH: Ivan VICELICH
GK COACH: Enaut ZUBIKARAI
TECHNICAL: Adria CASALS
TECHNICAL: Jarrod WALLACE
LOGISTICS: Keith COTON
PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE