NZ teams qualify for last eight

Seven-timed defending champions Auckland City and perennial bridesmaids Team Wellington have both advanced to the quarterfinals in the OFC Champions League, and will now eagerly await today’s draw.

The two New Zealand sides have met in the last three finals of the region’s premier club football competition, with City winning each time, but could yet find themselves drawn to play each other in the semifinal stage.

City and Team Wellington finished top of group C and group D respectively, which means they will both play their quarterfinals at home, on the weekend of April 7.

City will face either Toti City Dwellers of Papua New Guinea, or Solomon Warriors or Marist from the Solomon Islands, while Team Wellington also have Lautoka of a Fiji as a possible opponent, but cannot play Marist, who finished second in their group.

City eased through their group, hosted at Trusts Arena in Auckland, winning all three of their games, while scoring 13 goals and conceding none.

Team Wellington had it slightly harder, playing in tough conditions at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara in the Solomon Islands. They managed to snatch a 1-1 draw with Marist in their first game, where the hosts had the better chances, but easily accounted for Samoa’s Lupe o le Soaga, 7-1, and after going behind early, they rallied to beat AS Magenta of New Caledonia 5-1.

Nalkutan of Vanuatu and AS Dragon of Tahiti finished first in group A and B, and will host the other quarterfinals.

Team Wellington’s only losses in the competition have come to Auckland City, which makes the duo the clear favourites to win the competition, which comes with the lucrative prize of a place at the Fifa Club World Cup in December.