AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Auckland City's Navy Blues are riding high after a resounding 5-2 victory over Manurewa, but the real test comes this Saturday as they face Auckland United in the highly anticipated Dominion Road Derby.
23 May 2025
The stakes are high, the rivalry fierce, and the battle for Northern League supremacy is heating up.
After breaking their three-match winless streak in emphatic fashion, Auckland City sit second in the league standings, just one point ahead of their cross-town rivals, albeit having played one more game.
Meanwhile, United enter the clash unbeaten in their last four outings, making this showdown at Kiwitea Street a pivotal moment in the race for the title.
Matt Ellis, the hat-trick hero from Wednesday night, is keenly aware of the significance of this fixture. “Auckland United are a strong side with quality players,” he said. “We need to keep our momentum going, especially as we build towards the Club World Cup.”
Right-back Adam Bell echoed Ellis’s sentiments, who marked marking his 50th club appearance in style on Wednesday. “This is always a tough match,” he noted. “We’ve shared results quite a bit, but continuing this form is crucial—it’s going to be a great battle.”
With the history books showing seven wins for Auckland City in their last 11 meetings and United claiming only two, the Navy Blues have the edge. But in derby clashes, past records count for little.
Back the boys and be part of the atmosphere as the Navy Blues fight for three crucial points!
MATCH DETAILS
Northern League R11
Auckland City FC vs Auckland United
Saturday 24 May 2025,
Kiwitea St
KO: 2:00pm
AC SQUAD: 1. Conor TRACEY (GK) 2. Mario ILICH (C) 3. Adam MITCHELL 4. Christian GRAY 5. Nikko BOXALL, 7. Myer BEVAN 8. Gerard GARRIGA 9. Angus KILKOLLY 10. Dylan MANICKUM 11. Ryan DE VRIES 12. Regont MURATI 13. Nathan LOBO 14. Jordan VALE, 15. Jeremy FOO, 16. Joe LEE 17. Jerson LAGOS 18. Areya PRASAD (GK) 19. Dylan CONNOLLY, 20. Matt ELLIS, 21. Adam BELL 22. Tong ZHOU 23. Alfie ROGERS, 24. Nathan GARROW (GK) 25. Michael DEN HEIJER, 26. David YOO, 27. Haris ZEB, 30. Jackson MANUEL, 31. Ryan ELLIS, 32. Paris DOMFEH
Head Coach: Paul Posa
Assistant Coach: Ivan Vicelich
Assistant Coach: Adria Casals
GK Coach: Jonas Hoffmann
Physiotherapist: Matt Payne
Team Manager: Keith Coton
