Dunedin women’s team makes cup history

Clubs were told to make a name for themselves in the Kate Sheppard Cup this year, and Dunedin Technical did just that.

With a 4-2 win over Wellington United in the capital on Saturday, they became the first team from Otago to make it to the final of women’s football’s national knockout cup, named this year in honour of the famous suffragette.

They will face Auckland club Forrest Hill Milford, who beat North Shore rivals and defending champions Glenfield Rovers 3-1.

In the final of the men’s Chatham Cup, Wellington’s Western Suburbs will face Auckland’s Birkenhead United, after they accounted for Christchurch’s Cashmere Technical and Nelson Suburbs in their semifinals.

Wellington United took an early lead through Dani Ohlsson but Emily Morison levelled the scores almost immediately, before setting Chelsea Whittaker up to give the southerners a 2-1 lead. Suzanne Giesen equalised for Wellington United immediately after halftime, and it took until the 75th minute for the deadlock to be broken, with Lara Wall putting Dunedin Technical in front, before Morison scored her second 10 minutes later.

Western Suburbs were made to work hard in their Chatham Cup semifinal win in Christchurch but ultimately proved too strong for hosts Cashmere Technical, while two penalties saw Birkenhead United send Nelson packing.