U-17 journey ends at last eight

Words: ACFC Media

Saturday 9 December 2023

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Auckland City FC U-17s squad have bowed out of the Western Springs U-17 Youth Tournament at Seddon Fields today.

This followed a 4-2 penalty shootout defeat to Nomads United AFC from Christchurch in this afternoon’s Championship Quarter Final.

In a gruelling 6 team group format, play got underway on Thursday where a Jesse Burge goal saw the Junior Navy Blues edge out Cashmere Technical in their tournament opener followed by a 2-1 win over West Coast Rangers with goals to Stipe Ukich and Luka Vicelich finding the back of the net to mark a successful first day of the tournament.

Day two got underway with a clash with Fencibles United, a team that had knocked the Junior Navy Blues out of the Boys Youth National League weeks earlier. There was to be no repeat of that with Stipe Ukich’s strike edging the result in favour of the Junior Navy Blues 1-0.

The day finished with defeat with to FC Tauranga Moana with goals to V. Fitzharris and M. Wellsbury condemned Archie Dias’ team to their first defeat of the tournament with one more group stage game to go a must win against Northern Rovers on Saturday morning.

Saturday’s action got underway with the final group stage clash on Pitch 4 with the Junior Navy Blues hitting the back of the net early with a well taken strike from Stipe Ukich. The lead was doubled when great play between Stipe Ukich and Carlos Stulich allowed Stulich a great finish putting the Junior Navy Blues into a fairly comfortable position.

Coach Archie Dias then rang the changes bringing on a host of younger players and a goalkeeping substitution with Binath Perera taking to the field. This gave Rovers a bit of a spark and T. Howie slot past Perera to add some nerves to the final stages of the game.

Any hope of a Rovers comeback was short lived as Stipe Ukich scored his second within a couple of minutes securing the Junior Navy Blues passage to the knockout rounds where a maiden Championship Round quarter final against Nomads United AFC stood between them and a place in the semi finals. After a goalless draw the Junior Navy Blues fell to a 4-2 penalty shootout defeat eliminating them from the tournament.

The tournament wraps up tomorrow with Nomads facing East Coast Bays and Fencibles facing Eastern Suburbs for a place in the tournament decider.

Ends