Suburbs and Pride lead national premierships
Eastern Suburbs continue to set the pace at the top of the national league after a strong away win over Canterbury United.
The 3-1 triumph at English Park in Christchurch was their third in a row to start the competition and was sparked by a fast start.
They were up 2-0 inside five minutes without taking a shot as Elijah Just charged down a goalkeeper clearance before a Canterbury United defender turned the ball into his own net.
Andre de Jong made it 3-0 when scoring in the 34th minute against his former team. Seth Clarke pulled a goal back for the hosts 15 minutes from time but it was not enough to start a comeback.
Defending champions Auckland City beat Hawke’s Bay United 2-1 at Kiwitea St.
Dylan Manickum came on in the 64th minute and scored Auckland’s first goal three minutes later when tapping in a cross. Micah Lea’alafa doubled their lead four minutes later with a long-range thunderbolt, before Sam Mason-smith pulled a goal back in injury time.
Team Wellington scored another win when beating Tasman United 2-0 after Hamish Watson and Jack-henry Sinclair scored goals within two minutes of each other midway through the first half.
Southern United got their first win of the season when handing Hamilton Wanderers their first defeat on Sunday. Benjamin Wade got the winner 20 minutes from time.
On Saturday, Waitakere United got their first win of the season when thumping the Wellington Phoenix reserves 5-1. They were up 3-0 by halftime, thanks in part to Ronan Wynne’s 44th-minute red card for the Phoenix when he gave away a last-man penalty without making a genuine attempt to win the ball.
In the National Women’s League, leaders Canterbury United Pride were pushed all the way by strugglers WAIBOP, eventually winning 3-1. The result was only secured in the 82nd minute when Cody Taylor got her side’s third goal.
Two Football Ferns played a big hand in Capital’s 5-0 win over Central on Saturday as Anna Green and Sarah Gregorius both scored two goals.
Green grabbed the pick of the lot when opening the scoring in the 12th minute, sticking a cross-shot into the top-right corner from the left wing with a little help from the howling Wellington northerly.
Yesterday, the Northern Lights grabbed a crucial 2-1 win to take them three points above Auckland into second. Emma Turnbull and Samantha Tawharu got their goals.