Semifinal in the balance
Halfway through their OFC Champions League semifinal, Team Wellington and Auckland City are no closer to knowing who will take a big step towards to a place at the Club World Cup.
They drew 0-0 at David Farrington Park in Wellington in the first leg of the tie on Sunday, the second time they have produced a goalless stalemate in their past three meetings – the other was City’s 1-0 win in the national league final three weeks ago.
In not conceding an away goal, Team Wellington will probably be the happier team, heading into next Sunday’s second leg at Kiwitea St in Auckland, but they might rue not taking two giftwrapped opportunities City offered.
The first came 20 minutes in, when a tame pass from Reid Drake towards City centre back Angel Berlanga was picked up by Angus Kilkolly, who ended up one on one with Enaut Zubikarai, only to send his shot straight at the City keeper. The second came with 20 minutes to play, when Andy Bevin sent a shot from near the box wide. New Zealand’s golfers have struggled to find any consistency in the United States.
While Danny Lee carded a two-under 70 in the third round of the Valero Texas Open, Lydia Ko had a oneover 72 in the third round of the Hugel-JTBC LA Open.
After going four over in his first round, then going four under on the second day in Texas, Lee continued his rise up the ranks with a tidy third at TPC San Antonio.
Lee hit five birdies through his round, to go with a bogey and a double-bogey, to go two-under for the tournament.
Three of the four parthrees proved plentiful for Lee, taking three birdies. His first, on the third hole, saw him drain an 18-foot putt.
His final birdie of the round, on the par-three 16th, saw him knock down another birdie from 15-feet.
Lee’s only real blemish was a double-bogey on the 11th hole, as he found the rough and then duffed two chips.
Trey Mullinax shot a stunning 10-under 62 to move into the joint lead with Zach Johnson and Andrew Landry at 12-under.
Meanwhile, Ko sits in a tie for 38th in Texas after a round in which she mixed five bogeys with four birdies.
Ko was three under through the first seven holes, before pegging one shot back on the ninth.
While she was one-under over the second nine, her start cost her. She sits in a tie for 51st at four-over for the tournament.