BA, Fiji - Auckland City FC produced one of their trademark comebacks of their OFC Champions League era, overturning a 2–0 deficit to defeat AS Vénus 4–3 in Ba and finish Group A with a perfect three‑from‑three record.
16 August 2026
It was an afternoon of chaos, courage and conviction — and a performance that underlined why the Navy Blues remain Oceania’s benchmark.
AS Vénus, already eliminated but playing with freedom, struck first. Captain Roonui Tehau split the City back line with a superb through ball from halfway, releasing Moeava Kaiha, who raced clear and finished calmly into the bottom corner.
Twenty minutes later the Tahitians doubled their advantage: Germain Haewegene burst down the right and cut the ball back for Mathis Lacan, who swept home a composed finish to make it 2–0.
City hadn’t lost an OFC Champions League match since 2019, but they were being stretched in ways rarely seen.
Head coach Rudy Mozr refused to frame it as self‑inflicted. “I wouldn’t say we made it hard for ourselves,” he said post‑match.
“They’re a quality team… very dangerous, good attacking players. This game could’ve been 4–0 either way at halftime.”
The lifeline arrived at the perfect moment. Deep into first‑half injury time, substitute Michal Doudera cut inside and unleashed a powerful left‑footed strike from outside the box, drilling it into the bottom corner to drag City back into the contest.
“I scored the first goal, but we work as a team — that’s the most important thing,” Doudera said.
“Even when we concede two or three, we can come back and win.”
Nine minutes after the restart, City were level. Tom Golding’s corner found Christian Gray, who rose above his marker and looped a header over the advancing goalkeeper to make it 2–2.
But Vénus refused to fade. In the 77th minute, Haewegene again broke clear and slotted past Matt Foord to restore the Tahitian lead — the first time City had conceded three goals in an OFC Champions League match since 2013.
Mozr praised his side’s composure under pressure. “I didn’t feel there were times when the team panicked,” he said. “Credit to them — they stuck to it and had self‑belief.”
That belief delivered a finish for the ages.
With six minutes left, Ryan Watson pounced on a cross from the right to level the match at 3–3.
Then, in the first minute of added time, came the decisive moment: a long ball slipped through the Vénus defence, Matt Ellis burst beyond the final line, and hammered a stinging shot under the goalkeeper to complete the comeback and seal a 4–3 victory.
Doudera summed up the effort required in Ba’s heavy humidity: “It wasn’t sunny, but the humidity was so high. We had to dig deep, work hard — that’s what we have to do every game.”
City finish Group A with nine points from nine, momentum intact, and a semifinal against Rewa FC looming on Wednesday. A tussle. A fight. A comeback worthy of champions.
Ends
OFC Champions League 2026 – Group A
Govind Park, Lautoka, FIJI
Auckland City FC : 4 (Michal DOUDERA 45+4’ Christian GRAY 55’ Ryan WATSON 84′, Matt ELLIS 90+1′)
AS Vénus : (TAH) : 3 (Moeava KAIHA 5’ Mathis LACAN 25’, Germain HAEWEGENE 77’)
HT: 1-2
AC: 1. 24. Matt FOORD (GK) 4. Christian GRAY (23. Alfie ROGERS 67’) 11. Ryan DE VRIES (C) (26. Matt ELLIS 67’) 13. Nathan LOBO 15. Jeremy FOO 10. Dylan MANICKUM (7. Michal DOUDERA 42’) 16. Fergus GILLION 17. Ryan WATSON 21. Bono KACUROV 25. Mike Den HEIJER ( 2. Mario ILICH 79′) 27. Tom GOLDING (20. Pavel OSMANčIK 79′)
SUBS NOT USED: 1. Cam BROWN (GK) 5. Nathan ROSTRON 6. Nikko BOXALL 8. Gerard GARRIGA 14. Shan ANAND 19. Rhys DAVIES 18. Ari PRASAD (GK) 30. Ari PRASAD
HEAD COACH: Rudy MOZR
ASSISTANT COACH: Ivan VICELICH
ASSISTANT COACH: Alan SHAKER
GOALKEEPER COACH: Adam BANNISTER
TRAINER: Karlo PAVIC
PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE
PHYSIO: Zara ELLIS
TEAM MANAGER: Keith COTON
