Auckland City have reminded Wellington Olympic they are not the only major players in New Zealand domestic football.
City defeated Olympic 1-0 in Round 2 of the NZF National League Championship (NLC) at Wellington's Martin Luckie Park on Saturday, avenging losses in last year's final and last month's Chatham Cup final.
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City's 17-year-old centre-forward Stipe Ukich provided the winner in the seventh minute, scoring for the second straight match to match his goal total from the National League's regional phase.
The New Zealand Under-20 rep bumped off his defender and controlled a pin-point long ball from Adam Mitchell, slotting past Olympic keeper Scott Basalaj in a one-on-one situation.
Navy Blues gloveman Conor Tracey was the hero of the day, producing a series of stunning saves to keep his side in the lead, recording his 31st clean-sheet since the new National League format began in 2021.
Tracey denied Edward Wilkinson with a crucial stop, and Jerson Lagos nearly doubled the advantage, only to see his shot rebound off the inside of Basalaj’s left post. Olympic’s Adam Supyk also cleared a Mario Ilich header off the line.
Tracey continued his heroics, making another key save from close range to deny Isa Prins just before halftime.
The second half began scrappily, but the hosts were handed a lifeline in the 64th minute with a penalty for handball against Mitchell. However, Tracey once again rose to the occasion, brilliantly saving Ben Mata’s spot-kick.
The victory saw the Navy Blues reclaim the Mediterranean Cup, a trophy contested between the two clubs, which had been taken by Olympic following their penalty shootout triumph in the Chatham Cup decider.
City also moved to the top of the NLC, two points ahead of Napier City Rovers and Eastern Suburbs, who drew 2-2 at Auckland's Madills Farm on Sunday.
Northern League Golden Boot Jacob Mechell continued his goalscoring prowess with strikes in the 33rd and 50th minutes, giving him 22 goals in all competitions this season. Adam Hewson scored his third goal of the NLC and M Chretien also scored as Napier City twice came back from a goal down.
In other Round 2 matches, Western Springs dealt Coastal Spirit a harsh reality, the Wellington Phoenix Reserves stunned Southern League champions Cashmere Technical and Birkenhead United and Western Suburbs played out an entertaining draw.
Matt Ellis scored goals in the 51st and 80th minutes in Springs' 6-2 victory over Coastal at Seddon Fields, while the WeeNix scored three goals in 13 minutes midway through the second half in a 4-0 win over Technical at Christchurch's English Park.
Birkenhead came from two goals down in the first half, with former All White Monty Patterson and Leon van den Hoven scoring equalising goals.
In the Women's National League Championship (WNLC), Wellington's Waterside Karori and Auckland United scored their first wins, while two draws created a five-way tie at the top of the standings.
Kendall Pollock and Renee Bacon each found the back of the net twice in Karori's 5-0 win over the Phoenix Women Reserves at Lower Hutt's Fraser Park, while United scored a goal in each half in a 2-0 victory over NRFL Women's Premier rivals Eastern Suburbs at Auckland's Keith Hay Park.
Western Springs trailed 2-0 after 25 minutes, levelled it up at 70 minutes before each team scored in second-half stoppage-time in a 3-3 draw with West Coast Rangers at Auckland's Fred Taylor Park on Saturday.
Wellington United and Canterbury United Pride played out a 1-1 draw at Wellington's Newtown Park. Both teams have four points, along with Rangers, Karori and United.
NZF NATIONAL LEAGUE RESULTS - ROUND 2
Birkenhead United 3 Western Suburbs 3
Auckland City 1 Wellington Olympic 0
Western Springs 6 Coastal Spirit 2
Phoenix Reserves 4 Cashmere Technical 0
Eastern Suburbs 2 Napier City Rovers 2
NZF WOMEN'S NATIONAL LEAGUE RESULTS - ROUND 2
Waterside Karori 5 Phoenix Women Reserves 0
West Coast Rangers 3 Western Springs 3
Wellington United 1 Canterbury United Pride 1
Auckland United 2 Eastern Suburbs 0
Southern United vs Central Football postponed