Could perennial contenders Auckland City miss the NZF National League Championship (NLC) final for the first time?
It is now a real possibility after another round of upsets last weekend, which now sees the top-six clubs separated by just three points with two rounds remaining in the battle to qualify for the December 1 decider.
LATEST HEADLINES:
City, the 2022 NLC winners and last year's runners-up, slipped to third following a second straight home defeat at Kiwitea Street in Round 7 on Sunday, a 4-3 result against the Wellington Phoenix Reserves.
The Navy Blues came back from three goals down after 35 minutes to level it up on Angus Kilkolly's second goal in the 87th minute. However, Luke Flowerdew had the last say, with his 91st-minute winner.
Earlier, Gabriel Sloane-Rodriguez netted a double in a four-minute span to put the WeeNix up 3-0, but Kilkolly and Myer Bevan scored goals six minutes apart to set up the thrilling finish.
City, on 13 points, were overtaken by Napier City Rovers and Birkenhead United, both on 14 points, while the Nix Reserves moved to 10 points, maintaining their mathematically chance of reaching the final.
Rovers extended their winning streak to three matches with a 3-1 victory over Coastal Spirit at Christchurch's Linfield Park on Sunday, taking them to the top spot after Birkenhead drew 2-2 with Eastern Suburbs later in the day.
Napier City's goals came from some unlikely sources - Jordan Annear, Cameron Emmerson and Harry Mason, who had combined for just six goals during the Central League and NLC.
Birkenhead thought they thieved the three points when Luke Jorgensen scored in the 90th minute. But there was more drama at Madills Farm, with the home side's Dylan Laing-McConnell getting the equaliser in the first minute of stoppage-time.
Western Springs (12 points) and defending NLC champions Wellington Olympic (11) got themselves back into the final equation with home wins on Saturday.
Springs got goals from Reid Drake and Emiliano Tade in the minutes either side of halftime to hold on for a 4-3 win over Cashmere Technical at Auckland's Seddon Fields.
After conceding the opening goal, former Phoenix striker Hamish Watson scored a five-minute first-half double, while Ben Mata and Kaelin Nguyen scored in Olympic's 4-1 victory over Western Suburbs at Martin Luckie Park.
Meanwhile, Auckland United put one foot in the Women's National League Championship (WNLC) final after a 1-0 victory over West Coast Rangers at Fred Taylor Park on Friday night.
Kaley Ward scored the match-winner in the 22nd minute, taking United to 19 points, four clear at the top. United would have to lose their remaining two matches, and Waterside Karori (15 points) and Eastern Suburbs (13 points) win their last two, to miss out on playing for the women's quadruple.
Britney Cunningham-Lee scored two goals in Suburbs' 3-1 victory over Canterbury United Pride at Christchurch's English Park, putting pressure on the Watersiders, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Capital rivals Wellington United.
The results put big dents in the Rangers, Pride and Wellington United's final chances.
In other Round 7 matches, Aimee Phillips scored the first and last goals in Western Springs' 6-0 win over winless Central Football at Seddon Fields, while Southern United and the Phoenix Women's Reserves played out a 1-1 draw at Dunedin's Logan Park.
NZF NATIONAL LEAGUE RESULTS - ROUND 7
Wellington Olympic 4 Western Suburbs 1
Western Springs 4 Cashmere Technical 3
Napier City Rovers 3 Coastal Spirit 1
Eastern Suburbs 2 Birkenhead United 2
Phoenix Reserves 4 Auckland City 3
NZF WOMEN'S NATIONAL LEAGUE RESULTS - ROUND 7
Auckland United 1 West Coast Rangers 0
Western Springs 6 Central Football 0
Southern United 1 Phoenix Women Reserves 1
Eastern Suburbs 3 Canterbury United Pride 1
Wellington United 1 Waterside Karori 1