Canterbury a genuine contender
Canterbury United will join Auckland, Wellington and Eastern Suburbs in the semifinals, after edging Hamilton Wanderers, with the remaining rounds left to determine who will earn hosting rights.
Auckland City and Team Wellington have maintained their momentum heading into the OFC Champions League after picking up a win apiece in the ISPS Handa Premiership.
Although their place in the semifinals was already confirmed, Auckland and Wellington’s wins, against Tasman United and Waita¯kere United respectively, had major implications for the opposition as it officially ended their hopes of reaching the top four.
With Tasman and Waita¯kere both losing, Canterbury’s place in the top four was confirmed even before the kickoff of their match against Hamilton Wanderers at Porritt Stadium in Hamilton yesterday.
Canterbury still did the business though, with George King scoring the game’s only goal in the 56th minute after finishing off a brilliant full field counter attack.
After making an easy save at a corner kick, goalkeeper Coey Turipa quickly threw the ball to Stephen Hoyle, who charged 50m up the field before offloading to King.
King, a Manchester City youth product, took a touch to get the ball on to his favoured left foot before letting rip with a superb strike that managed to beat Wanderers goalkeeper Matt Oliver at the near post.
Canterbury have now won four straight and have emerged as a genuine contender.
Jack-Henry Sinclair continues to put his hand up for a return to the Wellington Phoenix setup after the academy player scored one and created another in Team Wellington’s 4-1 win over Waita¯ kere.
Coach Jose Figueira said Sinclair, who has six goals in eight
games, was an instrumental figure at David Farrington Park on Sunday, as the defending champions continued their push for a home semifinal.
‘‘Sometimes, especially for the young players who always dream to be professionals here or overseas, you have to take a step sideways before actually going forwards and for us as a club it’s important that we have that good relationship with the Phoenix,’’ he said, when discussing Sinclair’s form.
Other standouts were Andy Bevin, who scored a double, and
goalkeeper Scott Basalaj, who denied Keegan Linderboom at the penalty spot when the game was still in the balance.
‘‘He’s an expert,’’ Figueira said of Basalaj’s penalty save.
‘‘It’s great to see our strikers doing the job at one end and the keeper doing his at the other.’’
Waita¯ kere have now lost four straight games. The presence of first team player Adam Parkhouse was not enough to inspire the Wellington Phoenix reserves in their match against Southern United at Sunnyvale Park in Dunedin yesterday, falling to a heavy 4-0 defeat.