City host Bays in 'must-win' game
Words: ACFC Media
Thursday 11 July 2024
Following last weekend’s 4-1win in Cambridge to secure a spot in the last eight of the Chatham Cup, Auckland City FC will return to Northern League matters by hosting East Coast Bays in Saturday’s R15 clash at Kiwitea.
Currently sitting in second spot, a point behind league leaders Birkenhead United, the Navy Blues are fully focused on Saturday’s challenge against the visitors from Auckland’s North Shore.
Following their OFC Champions League triumph in Tahiti back in May the Navy Blues, who celebrate their 20th anniversary this year, are determined to mark 2024 by securing as many trophies as possible.
With the Chatham Cup firmly in their sights, Albert Riera’s men are also keen to defend their Northern League crown before embarking on their campaign to capture their 10th National League title later in the year.
However, the players as well as the coaching staff insist they take one game at a time and only concentrate on the immediate task on hand.
Left-back Nathan Lobo says every game is a must-win for his side and East Coast Bays will provide a stern test.
“If we want to try to challenge for titles we need to pick up as many points as possible and Birkenhead are in front of us.
“They have a tough game this weekend and we are going to have a tough game against East Coast Bays as well, so yeah, it’s definitely must-win.
“I think it’s going to be similar to the last time, they hung in there and we scored two late goals.
“Yeah, it’s going to be a tough game, coming to Kiwitea everybody raises their game, so it’s gonna be tough for us to break them down and score some goals”, explained Lobo.
East Coast Bays are in ninth place on the league table with three wins, four draws and seven defeats, and the competition newcomers don’t need any extra motivation in their quest to secure their Northern League safety.
And judging by their last five outings, which included three wins a draw and just one defeat, Joe Hall’s charges are well on their way to steer clear of the relegation zone.
The first ever meeting between Auckland City FC and East Coast Bays in Round 8 of the Northern League at Bay City Park in the first week of May has ended in a 3-0 win for the Navy Blues.
Ryan De Vries scored a brace for City before Liam Gillion added a third in the 90th minute.
RECENT FORM - EAST COAST BAYS
NORTHERN LEAGUE RD 14
Saturday, June 29
Eastern Suburbs 1-2 East Coast Bays
NORTHERN LEAGUE RD 13
Saturday, June 22
East Coast Bays 1-3 Bay Olympic
NORTHERN LEAGUE RD 12
Saturday, June 8
Manurewa 1-3 East Coast Bays
NORTHERN LEAGUE RD 11
Saturday, May 25
East Coast Bays 2-0 Melville Utd
NORTHERN LEAGUE RD 10
Saturday, May 10
West Coast Rangers 2-2 East Coast Bays
MATCH DETAILS
Chatham Cup R4
Saturday, 13 July 2024
Auckland City FC v East Coast Bays
Kiwitea Street, Sandringham
Kick-off: 3:00pm
AC SQUAD: 1-Conor TRACEY (GK), 2- Mario ILICH (c) 3- Adam MITCHELL, 4-Christian GRAY, 5. Marco LORENZ, 6- Kailan GOULD, 8-Gerard GARRIGA. 9-Angus KILKOLLY, 10-Dylan MANICKUM, 11-Ryan DE VRIES, 12- Regont MURATI, 13-Nathan LOBO, 15. Luka VICELICH, 16-Joe LEE, 17. Jerson LAGOS, 18 - Areya PRASAD (GK), 19-Liam GILLION, 20- Derek TIEKU, 21- Adam BELL, 22-Tong ZHO, 23- Alfie ROGERS, 24-Joe WALLIS (GK), 25- Michael DEN HEIJER, 26-Rayan TAYEB, 27-Stipe UKICH.
COACH: Albert RIERA
ASSISTANT COACH: Ivan VICELICH
GK COACH: Enaut ZUBIKARAI
TECHNICAL: Adria CASALS
LOGISTICS: Keith COTON
PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE
CHATHAM CUP FINAL
Sat 7 Sep 2024, Wellington Olympic, North Harbour Stadium, 7pm
Player Profiles
Table
| Position | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | AC | 22 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 53 | 21 | 51 |
| 2 |  | WS | 22 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 52 | 30 | 46 |
| 3 |  | ES | 22 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 38 | 20 | 44 |
| 4 |  | BU | 22 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 54 | 31 | 43 |
| 5 |  | AU | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 39 | 27 | 40 |
| 6 |  | BO | 22 | 9 | 1 | 12 | 39 | 42 | 28 |
| 7 |  | TC | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 38 | 56 | 25 |
| 8 |  | WR | 22 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 28 | 45 | 23 |
| 9 |  | EB | 22 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 29 | 38 | 22 |
| 10 |  | MN | 22 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 41 | 56 | 19 |
| 11 |  | MU | 22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 29 | 54 | 18 |
| 12 |  | HW | 22 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 28 | 48 | 14 |
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