With just one round remaining in the National League, we now know the two teams that will compete in the Grand Final on Sunday, December 1st, at North Harbour Stadium.

The first team to qualify was Auckland United. Coached by Ben Bate, they arrive as strong contenders to defend the title they won in 2023. Knowing that a draw at home against Southern United would suffice to secure their spot in the final, Auckland United showed no signs of pressure. They asserted their dominance at Keith Hay Park and won the match 2-1, with both goals scored by their top striker, Charlotte Roche, ensuring their place in another final.

The second team to qualify was CF- Waterside Karori. Although they secured their spot a week in advance, they had to wait for the outcome of the Eastern Suburbs match to confirm their final place. The situation was a bit more complex for the Wellington team, as they had to face West Coast Rangers—one of the tournament's strongest teams, who were still in contention for a spot in the final before the match. Additionally, Eastern Suburbs, playing at home against CF- Wellington United on Sunday, was just two points behind them.

Coached by Tomas Godoy and Tory Schiltgen, Waterside Karori seized their opportunity and convincingly defeated West Coast Rangers 3-1 at Martin Luckie Park. With this victory, they pulled five points ahead of Eastern Suburbs and waited to see the outcome of that match to determine if they would secure a place in the final or have to wait until the last round of the league. Ultimately, the "Lilywhites" drew 2-2 against CF- Wellington United, leaving them four points adrift of the second spot with just one match remaining. Thus, on Sunday afternoon, CF- Waterside Karori secured their place in the Grand Final, which will take place on December 1st at 1:00 PM at North Harbour Stadium.

Tickets for the Grand Finals cover both the women’s and men’s finals and can be purchased on Ticketek at: https://premier.ticketek.co.nz/shows/show.aspx?sh=NZFNLGF24&fbclid=IwY2xjawGlG-hleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHV6lhiSALxZq-OC9enFqI2XOzwwIJugyV6bchdFGEiICtbC7XFR4_RQYQw_aem_iy3Lc0h-1Z-sQUudvvAqXA

Article added: Monday 18 November 2024