OFC News

Waitakere United breathed a sigh of relief after they had to come from behind to win their first points in the 2008 O-League against a rejuvenated AS Manu Ura today.

After a winter of heightened transfer activity much was expected of United in their opening match of their O-League defence but on the evidence of this performance coach Chris Milicich will feel there is huge room for improvement.

The opening 45 minutes were agonising for the home side as a plucky AS Manu Ura got bodies behind the ball and won most of the possession in a midfield zone United were expected to dominate.

Simply put, Waitakere United didn't, and it was fortunate that AS Manu Ura had trouble utilising possession of the ball with any conviction. It is fair to say that there are teams lurking in the O-League draw that may have punished such charity and Waitakere United will need to be wary of producing such laborious performances.

United had two gilt-edged chances to open the scoring with Danny Hay and Jake Butler both going close in seperate incidents with Manu Ura's Tahitian international Auguste Washetine squandering a more difficult opportunity for the visitors.

AS Manu Ura took the lead just two minutes into the second-half when Auguste Washetine's shot was blocked on the line only for Hiashi Kake to finish from close range with the Waitakere United defence left staring in stunned silence.

The goal was a hammer blow for the home side's ambitions and coach Chris Milicich quickly made two substitutions introducing Neil Emblen and Jason Hayne for Daniel Koprivcic and Jake Butler respectively.

Both players made an immediate difference to the home side's fortunes with Emblen directly involved in Benjamin Totori's equaliser, the diminutive Solomon Islander's acrobatic finish leaving Manu Ura's Torohia without a hope after 74 minutes.

Emblen nudged Waitakere United in front 4 minutes later when the former NZ Knights player latched onto a Jonathan Perry long ball before rifling home a low finish past Torohia for what proved to be the winning goal.

AS Manu Ura skipper Daniel Tapeta said the Tahitian champions were happy with the improved performance of his team and added that they could feel proud of their defensive counter-attacking display in light of Saturday's disappointing result against Auckland City FC.

Waitakere coach Chris Milicich was understandably less enthused with a dire performance but satisfied with a victory, however it was achieved.

AUDIO INTERVIEWS - AS TOLD TO JEROME GAVELLE/OFC MEDIA

Match Reaction: Daniel Tapeta (AS Manu Ura)- English - Windows Media Player

Match Reaction: Pito Teivitau (AS Manu Ura) - Francaise - Quicktime Player

Match Reaction: Chris Milicich (Waitakere United) - English - Windows Media Player

LIVE UPDATES:

0' - a picturesque, clear blue sky greets both teams as they warm-up on the pitch

0' - the teams enter the field to the FIFA anthem, with both teams shaking hands before the match

2' - Waitakere United are straight on attack, with an early free kick from wide on the right

2' - Allan Pearce's left-footed delivery is well claimed by Manu Ura goalkeeper Jonathan Torohia

5' - Torohia acts quickly to extinguish any danger from a loose ball in the Manu Ura area

6' - Temarama Tauihara bears down on a Hiashi Kake through ball, run Matt Cunneen and Danny Hay recover well for Simon Eaddy to shield the ball for a goal kick

7' - Hiroana Poroiae makes it to the bye-line to cross from the left, but Hay does well to clear as Manu Ura enjoy a sustained spell on attack

8' - Daniel Koprivcic expertly beings a long clearance down on his chest, turns to beat two players on the dribble and releases a skidding low drive forcing a falling save to Torohia's left

10' - #5. Danny HAY receives a yellow card for stifling a Manu Ura counter-attack at half way

13' - the pace of the game has increased markedly, with Manu Ura's defensive resistance providing a source of encouragement

15' - Waitakere United are looking to make a substitution, with Commins Menapi struggling with a thigh injury

19' - #9. Benjamin TOTORI makes his Waitakere United debut, coming on to relieve #8. Commins MENAPI

22' - Billy Mataitai turns inside Hay and has an audacious crac from 40 yards, in an attempt to break the midfield stalemate

25' - Torohia again commands his area superbly to hold a Neil Sykes cross from deep

27' - Waitakere United are enjoying a little more possession, building well from midfield to keep Manu Ura alert

28' - Totori cuts a square ball from inside the six yard box, but Tauihara is on hand to clear through the pack

32' - Auguste Washetine has a go from distance, forcing a tidy stooping save from Eaddy

35' - Eaddy leaves his line well to beat Kake to an alert Tamatoa Tauihara through-ball from half-way

39' - Waitakere United have the first corner of the match, with Sykes' delivery again claimed well and held by Torohia

42' - Sykes and Koprivcic interchange well for Butler to cross low from the right hand side, but Torohia is dominant again in deflecting the cross

42' - the loose ball only goes as far as Pearce, 20 yards out on the angle, but his side-foot finish sails over the crossbar

44' - #8. Vetea TEPA receives a yellow card for bringing Pearce down on the break

-- 1 minute added time --

45'+1 - Washetine attempts to catch Eaddy out of position on the counter-attack, with his dipping volley narrowly passing by the left-hand post

45'+1 - Waitakere United force another corner, but do not have enough time for it to take place

HALF TIME: WAITAKERE UNITED 0 AS MANU URA 0

46' - both teams return from the sheds with no changes, looking to take hold of the fixture

49' - GOAL!

#11. Hiashi KAKE backheels to Mataitai, who is forced wide well by Jonathan Perry, but manages to cross for the captain Tamatoa Tauihara to square beyond Eaddy's despairing dive and Kake to side-foot into an open net

50' - #6. Tamatoa TAUIHARA is down injured behind play, and is stretchered off to be replaced by #17. Adrien TAERO

50' - #7. Jason HAYNE makes his Waitakere United debut, replacing #17. Jake BUTLER

55' - another Waitakere United debutant, assistant coach #16. Neil EMBLEN takes the field in place of #13. Daniel KOPRIVCIC

56' - Emblen takes immediate effect, using his size up front to create attacking opportunities for Waitakere United

59' - Pearce crudely fouls Kake, who unsurprisingly stays down as Manu Ura look to preserve their widely-unexpected lead

60' - Emblen wins a free kick directy in front of goal and 30 yards out, but blasts his attempt directly into the hotly-contested wall as the loose ball is cleared for a corner

63' - Torohia's mis-hit goal kick is pounced upon by Pearce, putting Waitakere immediately on attack

64' - the resulting long-throw is cleared easily by the Manu Ura defence as play settles

67' - the Manu Ura defence scrambles well to prevent shots from Totori, Emblen, and Pearce successively

69' - Torohia is again outstanding through traffic to claim the latest Waitakere United corner

75' - #7. Henri TAPEA makes way for #14. Stephane TUAIRAU

75' - GOAL!

#9. Benjamin TOTORI bundles his finish through traffic to bring Waitakere United level into the closing stages

79' - GOAL!

#16. Neil EMBLEN bursts through to find himself one-on-one with Torohia, and blasts his finish into the left corner of the net from 15 yards on the angle

82' - Rex Faura is down injured after a sickening collision with his own player on the edge of the area

85' - #3. Rex FAURA is walking, but clearly struggling and replaced by #5. Phillippe MORETTA

-- 3 minutes added time --

90'+2 - Pearce tracks well to stifle a final Manu Ura attack following a Sykes corner that was punched clear by Torohia

FULL TIME: WAITAKERE UNITED 2 (Totori 75', Emblen 79') AS MANU URA 1 (Kake 49')

2008 O-League

Match Day 2 – 1600 – 31 October 2007

Fred Taylor Park – Whenuapai, Auckland – New Zealand

WAITAKERE UNITED: 2. Jonathan PERRY; 3. Shane PASCOE; 4. Matt CUNNEEN; 5. Danny HAY; 8. Commins MENAPI (9. Benjamin TOTORI 19'); 10. Allan PEARCE; 11. Neil SYKES; 13. Daniel KOPRIVCIC (16. Neil EMBLEN 55'); 14. Christopher BALE; 17. Jake BUTLER (7. Jason HAYNE 50'); 22. Simon EADDY [gk].

Coach: Chris MILICICH

Substitutes not used: 1. Richard GILLESPIE [gk]; 6. Darren BAZELEY; 14. Hoani EDWARDS; 20. Jason ROWLEY.

Injured:

Not eligible: Ronil KUMAR; Mikael MUNDAY; Graham PEARCE; Blair KONICK; Tim MYERS; Leo SHIN; Byron PAULUS; Tom WEBB; Arran ROWLEY [gk]; Denver MACDONALD; Peter NORRIS; Sean DOWLING [gk].

Cautions: 5. Danny HAY (10').

Red cards:

Goal scorers: 9. Benjamin TOTORI (75'); 16. Neil EMBLEN (79').

AS MANU URA: 1. Jonathan TOROHIA [gk]; 2. Hiroana POROIAE; 3. Rex FAURA (5. Philippe MORETTA 85'); 4. Jean Yves LY WAUT; 6. Tamatoa TAUIHARA (17. Adrien TAERO 50'); 7. Henri TAPEA (14. Stephane TUAIRAU 75'); 8. Vetea TEPA; 10. Auguste WASHETINE; 11. Hiashi KAKE; 20. Billy MATAITAI; 22. Temarama TAUIHARA.

Coach: Teivatau PITO

Substitutes not used: 15. Vetea TETUANUI; 18. Dave PENI [gk]; 23. Jean Paul FAURA.

Injured:

Not eligible: Daniel TAPETA [gk]; Andrew TAURU; Celestin TAUPUA; Taia HONG; Eddy PITO; Axel TEMATAUA; Nohoarii ROBSON; Gregory LANTEIRES; Rooarii ROO.

Cautions: 8. Vetea TEPA (44').

Red cards:

Goal scorers: 11. Hiashi KAKE (49').

Referee: Lencie FRED (VAN)

Assistant Referee: Mahit CHILIA (VAN)

Assistant Referee: Michael JOSEPH (VAN)

Fourth Official: Peter O’LEARY (NZL)

2008 O-LEAGUE - GROUP A