Birkenhead United and Auckland City FC to compete in the National League Grand Final
In the final round of the Men’s National League Championship, Birkenhead United and Auckland City FC secured victories in their matches to qualify for the Grand Final on Sunday, which will kick off at 4:00 PM at North Harbour Stadium.
In a tightly contested match, Birkenhead United triumphed over Cashmere Technical, thanks to two goals from Daniel Bunch. With this result, Paul Hobson’s side, who entered the last round as the sole leaders, secured their spot in Sunday’s final. On the same afternoon, Napier City Rovers played away against Wellington Olympic, while Western Springs hosted Wellington Phoenix Reserves. Both Napier City Rovers and Western Springs understood that they needed to win their matches to keep their chances alive, while also hoping for favourable outcomes elsewhere. Napier emerged victorious, beating Wellington Olympic 3-2 in a fantastic match, while Western Springs dominated Wellington Phoenix Reserves with a 5-0 victory. As a result of these outcomes, Western Springs remained the only team with a shot at the final, depending on Auckland City FC not winning their match the following day against Coastal Spirit.
The "Navy Blues" faced their last match under pressure, knowing that the only outcome that would suffice was a win. However, Albert Riera's team played exceptionally well and had already established a 3-0 lead before the half-hour mark. The final score was 5-1, featuring a hat-trick from Myer Bevan, alongside a goal from Dylan Manickum and another from Kentaro Ozaki for Auckland City FC.
Thus, Birkenhead United and Auckland City FC will join Auckland United and CF Waterside Karori, who will compete in the final of the Women’s National League Championship.
Both finals will take place on Sunday, December 1, at North Harbour Stadium. The first final will see Auckland United face CF Waterside Karori at 1:00 PM, followed by the second final between Birkenhead United and Auckland City FC at 4:00 PM.
Tickets are free for members of New Zealand Football Whãnau mailing list or $10 for adults, with free entry for those under 16. The tickets will cover both matches and you can grab them from Ticketek:
Article added: Tuesday 26 November 2024
