When? Sunday 21 March 2021, kickoff 3.10 pm

Where? North Harbour Stadium

Auckland City FC v Team Wellington: A fitting final ISPS Handa Men’s Premiership Grand Final

In recent years, Auckland City FC and Team Wellington have become familiar foes in ISPS Handa Men’s Premiership finals football. The 2020/21 season marks the fifth grand final the two have contested, with two finals won apiece (Auckland City in 2014 and 2018, and Team Wellington in 2016 and 2017).

“It’s probably fitting it’s the final ever game in this format between, historically certainly in recent times, two of the most successful clubs,” Auckland City head coach Jose Figuiera told Sky Sports’ Kiwi Football Fix this week.

“I think as you’ve seen from the games this season and certainly in previous years, I don’t see it playing out much different: two really top sides, two teams that will be well-prepared, really tactically sound and I’m sure it will be a great spectacle and no doubt one of those tight, tense affairs that we all enjoy in those big games.”

Auckland City FC, who sealed the minor premiership with two matchweeks to spare, go into the final without their top goalscorer Rogerson, as the All White left the club this week to pursue a professional opportunity in Scandinavia. But one of the Navy Blues’ hallmarks this season has been their ability to score from anywhere on the park, a detail not lost on Team Wellington head coach Scott Hales.

“I think it’s great for Logan, it’s an opportunity to go overseas and get back into the pro game.”

“But we also know that Logan doesn’t make Auckland City tick on his own; they’ve got enough firepower and enough coverage of the squad to put someone in who’s going to be just as good as what they’ve got, or had, with Logan. So we’re pleased for Logan, for the country, but at the same time we also know that City have got big strengths up top that they can call upon. So it’s not all roses.”

Team Wellington head into the final ostensibly the form side of the two, having been spurred on to treat every game since that 3-1 defeat to Auckland City FC as proverbial cup finals. It’s an approach that has paid dividends for them.

“I think it’s important to note that we’re in hot form at the moment,” Hales notes.

“We’ve won four on the bounce, I think we’ve scored 16 goals and only conceded three, so our confidence and form is bang on heading into the cup final,” he told Kiwi Football Fix.

One of the players emblematic of that run of form is striker Hamish Watson, having scored two hattricks in his last three games. 

“He’s really important to our group of players, integral to what we want to achieve this year,” says Hales.

“Watto’s getting a lot of praise at the moment and rightly so, but it does spread across the group that when we do have someone in form like Watto, and Sam [Mason-Smith] is pitching in as well, it’s so important that other people recognize that our defence is made of stern stuff at the moment as well.”

Watson’s form is something the Navy Blues are all too aware of, says Figueira.

“I think in the most recent game we dealt with him really well apart from not marking him from 45 yards out when he lobs our ‘keeper from the halfway line!” Figueira smiles wryly.

“But you know he’s a top player, one of the top players in the league and we’ve got a number of those players as well. In finals you need those big players to show up and make the most of those details and those small moments.

“We’re confident we can keep the shackles on him [Watson] as best as possible, but also realise that he doesn’t just make up the team on his own, there’s a number of top, top players there as well.”

Squads as at 20 March 2020

Auckland City FC

2 Mario ILICH 3 Adam MITCHELL 4 Mario BILEN 6 Brian KALTACK 7 Cameron HOWIESON C 8 Albert RIERA 10 Dylan MANICKUM 11 Kayne VINCENT 12 Samuel BROTHERTON 14 Jordan VALE 16 Yousif AL-KALISY 17 Andrew BLAKE 18 Conor TRACEY GK 20 Emiliano TADE 21 Maro BONSU-MARO 22 Mohamed AWAD 23 Alfie ROGERS 24 Cameron BROWN GK

Team Wellington

1 Scott BASALAJ GK C 2 Justin GULLEY 4 Taylor SCHRIJVERS 5 Ollie WHYTE 6 Scott MIDGLEY 7 Joao MOREIRA 8 Samuel MASON-SMITH 9 Hamish WATSON 10 Nathanael HAILEMARIAM 11 Mario BARCIA 12 Andrew BEVIN 13 Sam DEWAR 14 Jack-Henry SINCLAIR 15 Jake WILLIAMS 19 Haris ZEB 20 Wan GATKEK 22 Zac JONES GK 23 Rory MCKEOWN

Officials

Referee: Matthew CONGER Assistant referee 1: Mark RULE Assistant referee 2: Edward COOK 4th official: Nick WALDRON

Going to the Grand Final? Get your tickets here

Article added: Saturday 20 March 2021