Sinclair’s goal decisive in ‘Wel Clasico’
Jack-Henry Sinclair kept his cool to score from the spot in stoppage time and give Team Wellington a crucial win over the Wellington Phoenix reserves in the national men’s football league.
The 1-0 win at Jerry Collins Stadium in the fixture dubbed ‘Wel Clasico,’ was their first in three matches and keeps them in second place on the ladder, three points clear of Eastern Suburbs.
Phoenix captain Sam Sutton gave away the penalty at the end of a dour match on Saturday, when he was struck on the hand inside the box just as he would have been thinking a draw was secure.
Suburbs beat Southern United 6-0 at Madills Farm yesterday and have now scored 15 goals while winning their past three matches, making their desire to defend their title clear.
Martin Bueno scored a hattrick for Suburbs to take his tally to 10 for the season while Michael Built, Reid Drake, and Kelvin Kalua also found the back of the net.
Auckland City continued their unbeaten run with a 3-1 win over Hamilton Wanderers at Kiwitea St yesterday and remain six points clear at the top of the table.
Emiliano Tade nabbed a brace in his first home match since returning from South Africa, then teed up All White Myer Bevan, who slotted home his 13th goal of the season.
Wanderers showed plenty of fight and pulled a goal back through youngster George Ott, who headed home a freekick from wide on the left.
Waitakere United finished the weekend in fourth, coming from behind to beat Canterbury United, who were reduced to 10 men early in the second half.
Centre back Tom Schwarz was shown two yellow cards in his 150th match for the franchise at English park, but Jacob Richards proceeded to put them 1-0 up soon after.
Sam Burfoot drew Waitakere level with a spectacular free kick, before Dane Schnell put the visitors in front with a header that went in off the post.
Abdul Khalifa hit the crossbar as Canterbury sought to respond, but they couldn’t find the goal they needed.
Tasman United sit in fifth after beating Hawke’s Bay United 3-1 yesterday, with JeanPhilippe Saiko scoring a brace and Max Winterton also netting, and Ahinga Selemani providing some consolation to the visitors at Saxton Field.
Next weekend brings the final round before the league is interrupted by the OFC Champions League, which forces the following two rounds to be played over four weekends.
Suburbs will be the first team out of action domestically, travelling to Papua New Guinea to make their Champions League debut, with Auckland City heading to Tahiti later in the month.