A hat-trick from second half substitute Keryn Jordan finished off a dominant performance by the visitors who now head into the second leg final with plenty of breathing space.
Matt Williams, Ki-Hyung Lee, Paul Urlovic and captain Ivan Vicelich also got on the score sheet for Auckland but it was the hosts who opened the scoring in the 10th minute sending the 20,000 fans into a frenzy.
The goal was created by Joses Nawo who beat two Auckland midfielders and sliced the ball through for captain Richard Anisua to get in behind the centre of Auckland’s defense and round the keeper for the finish.
Koloale thought they had a second six minutes later when Anisua lobbed the keeper from the edge of the area but Australian referee Strebe Delovski had already called a foul for Koloale. If the advantage had been played it might have been a different ball game but instead Auckland were back in it with a goal in the 23rd minute courtesy of Matt Williams who shot home from the edge of the area.
Auckland took the lead in the 39th minute through a brilliant free kick from 35 yards by Ki-Hung Lee and Paul Urlovic made it a two-goal buffer just one minute later.
In the second half, Vicelich put the game out of reach for the hosts nodding home a Lee free-kick in the 58th minute.
Keryn Jordan’s first goal came on 64 minutes when he got on the end of a Nikolic cross and guided the ball towards goal from less than 10 yards. Koloale’s Anisua then grabbed his second in the 76th minute and could have had a hat-trick himself when he stepped up to the penalty spot on the stroke of full time but Jacob Spoonley made a superb save going low to his left. Instead it was Jordan who finished with three, the South African showing outstanding composure in front of goal.
Auckland coach Paul Posa paid credit to Jordan after the game and said the overall finishing was exceptional.
“That was the best finishing I’ve seen all year,” said Posa.
“We probably didn’t create more than about seven or eight chances but we just put them all away and that was the difference.”
Posa also acknowledged Koloale’s efforts and admitted the scoreline was flattering.
“I think Koloale dictated the play for periods and they deserved 3 or 4 goals themselves.”
Koloale coach Koloale Luke Eroi says he was disappointed his side couldn’t take advantage of the early one-goal lead.
“We almost went 2-0 up but Anisua’s goal was disallowed and after that we sat back and gave them a break,” said Eroi. “We should have put more goals past them when we had the advantage and then they might have faded in the heat.”
Henry Fa’arodo, who battled tirelessly throughout, admits the visitors were just too good on the day.
“You can’t afford to lose your focus against teams like Auckland City because they’ll put the game out of reach in the space of 10 minutes – and that’s what they did today,” said the former Perth Glory player.
Meanwhile Ivan Vicelich was happy his team’s performance but says they won’t be taking the foot off the gas ahead of the second-leg final.
“We’ve got the return match to focus on now and we’re looking forward to putting in another good performance and hopefully scoring some more goals in front of our home crowd.”
Both teams now head into the second leg at Auckland’s Kiwitea Street on Sunday 3 May with Oceania’s US$500,000 playoff spot at the FIFA Club World Cup on the line.
2009 O-LEAGUE FIRST-LEG FINAL
Match: Koloale FC [SOL] vs. Auckland City FC [NZL]
Date: Saturday 25 April 2009
Venue: Honiara, Solomon Islands
Stadium: Lawson Tama Stadium
Kick Off: 15h00 (Local time)
Referee: Strebe DELOVSKI [AUS]
Assistant Referee: Michael MOUAURI [COK]
Assistant Referee: Hilary ANI [PNG]
Fourth Official: Chris BEATH [AUS]
Koloale FC: 2 (Richard ANISUA 10’ 76’)
Auckland City FC: 7 (Matt WILLIAMS 23’, Ki-Hyung LEE 39’, Paul URLOVIC 40’, Ivan Vicelich 58’ Keryn Jordan 65’ 77’ 86’)
Halftime: (3-1)
Yellow cards: Welshman HOUKARAWA 75’
Estimated crowd: 20,000
Koloale FC: 2. Welshman HOUKARAWA, 3. Jeffrey BULE, 5. Richard ANISUA, 6. Timothy JOE, 13. Lency SAENI (26. Kluivert DAGI), 14. Nicholas MURI, 15. Mostyn BEUI, 16. Joses NAWO, 18. Henry KOTO (8. Peter TALOGA 57’), 19. Henry Fa’arodo, 20. Shadrack RAMONI (GK)
Substitutes not used: 10. Ezra SALE, 12. Oscar Sara, 21. Eddie RAMO (GK), 23. Leonard RAKOTO, 30. Tony OTINI
Coach: Luke EROI
Auckland City FC: 3.Matt FRIEL, 5. Matt WILLIAMS, 6. Ki-Hyung LEE, 7. James PRITCHETT, 9. Paul URLOVIC (14. Keryn JORDAN’), 10. Grant YOUNG, 12. Jacob SPOONLEY (GK), 13. Alex FENERIDIS, 15. Ivan VICELICH, 16. George SURI (4. Sam CAMPBELL 15’), 24. Milos NIKOLIC (23. Liam MULROONEY 80’)
Substitutes not used: 1. John FLETCHER (GK), 2. Jonathan RAJ, 21. Riki VAN STEEDEN, 22. Xavi ROCA
Coach: Paul POSA
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Priscilla Duncan
Oceania Football Confederation
Media and Communications