Auckland City FC make winning start to season
- NZ Sports Wire
- Mar 21
- 2 min read
Auckland City FC have opened the Northern League season with two victories in the space of four days.
The Navy Blues defeated Tauranga City 2-1 on Saturday despite being reduced to nine men, before beating West Coast Rangers by the same scoreline on Tuesday night, claiming their familiar spot at the top of the league.
LATEST HEADLINES:
Both match-winners came late for the three-time defending Northern League champions and last year’s New Zealand Football (NZF) National League winners.
Former All White Myer Bevan scored in the eighth minute of stoppage-time against Tauranga City at Kiwitea Street, after Adam Mitchell and Tong Zhou earned straight red cards in the second half.
Liam Molloy put the visitors up in the second minute, with Mario Ilich netting the equaliser in the 59th minute.
Futsal Whites captain Dylan Manickum banged in the winner in the 79th minute against Rangers at the Croatian Cultural Club in Te Atatu, after Ignacio Machuca Maturena and debutant Jeremy Foo scored late-first half goals.
With a schedule congested by the Oceania Champions League next month and the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in June, ACFC were forced to play two matches before the official Round 1 this weekend.
Paul Posa's side are back in action on Sunday, away to Manurewa AFC at War Memorial Park (kick-off 3pm). Auckland FC Reserves make their domestic football debut, away to Fencibles United at Riverhills Park on Saturday (kick-off 7pm).
The eight-team Northern Region Football League's (NRFL) Women's Premier competition also gets underway this weekend, with two-time defending champions Auckland United hosting new club, Tauranga Moana, on Saturday (kick-off 1.45pm).
The 10-team Central and Southern Leagues, which complete the NZF National League's regional phase, kick-off the following weekend.
