14 Mar 2015

City extract big revenge on Phoenix reserves

6:47 pm on 14 March 2015

Minor premiers Auckland City FC have warmed up for the semi-finals of the national football Premiership with an emphatic 7-0 thrashing of the Wellington Phoenix reserves at Newtown Park.

Wellington Phoenix reserves keeper Oliver Sail is all concentration in the Kiwitea St clash

Wellington Phoenix reserves keeper Oliver Sail is all concentration in the Kiwitea St clash Photo: Photosport

With the hosts needing a win to keep their own playoff hopes alive, the visitors made no race of it, claiming their 10th straight victory since dropping their first game of 2015 against the same opponent back on January 11.

Back then City were stunned 3-1 at Kiwitea Street, but two goals to new All White Ryan De Vries and Joao Moreira as well as single strikes to Oscar Garcia, Ivan Carril and Andrew Milne made the revenge all the sweeter.

Elsewhere, Waitakere United confirmed their place in the semi-finals with a resounding 4-0 win over Team Wellington at Fred Taylor Park in Auckland, while the Phoenix's loss confirms Hawke's Bay United's playoff spot, ahead of their decisive clash with Canterbury United at Bluewater Stadium on Sunday.

A win for Hawke's Bay would see them leapfrog Waitakere United into third place and earn a playoff meeting with Team Wellington, consigning Waitakere to a tough semi against Auckland.

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