AUCKLAND – The only two teams to win the New Zealand Football Championship will square off for the trophy after Auckland City defeated YoungHeart Manawatu 3-0 at Kiwitea Street to claim a 4-3 aggregate semi-final win and join Waitakere United in next Sunday’s grand final.

Trailing 1-3 after the first leg, three time former champions Auckland reduced the deficit just before halftime with a long-range volley from Chad Coombes.

While Manawatu played moments of free-flowing football in the first half, Auckland shifted gears in the second and pinned the visitors in their own half, with the pressure finally telling in the final 20 minutes when Scott Robson felled Grant Young in the box.

Substitute Keryn Jordan smashed the resulting spot-kick past Chris Marsh to make it 2-0 on the day, levelling the aggregate scores and giving Auckland the edge on away goals.

With Manawatu pressing forward, desperate for an away goal to swing the tie back in their favour, Auckland caught the visitors short at the back with increasing regularity and when with Jordan raced clear of his marker and neatly slotted his second goal three minutes from time the Kiwitea Street crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Manawatu coach Bob Sova said the game turned on Auckland’s opening goal.

“That goal just before halftime was a killer. Not so much because it was depressing for us but it was a lift for them.” Sova said.

Auckland now face two huge matches against arch-rivals Waitakere United at Douglas Field, with next Sunday’s NZFC final followed by a crunch O-League Group A decider on April 5.

Auckland captain Ivan Vicelich was quick to talk up the cross-town neighbours.

“It’ll be very hard, Waitakere are hot favourites and have won everything, but we’re there now and anything is possible,” Vicelich said.

On Saturday, defending champions Waitakere United blitzed Team Wellington 5-0 at Douglas Field to win their semi final 6-0 on aggregate.

Roy Krishna took just five minutes of the return leg to open the scoring slipping his marker and firing a low shot past James Bannatyne.

Krishna would later add a superb solo effort, powering his way past two defenders to extend the lead to 4-0, but by that stage Wellington had capitulated with golden boot Luis Corrales sent off in the 71st minute for kicking out at Neil Sykes in frustration.

Benjamin Totori emulated Krishna’s first strike just before the break to give Waitakere a 2-0 halftime lead, while Wellington captain Adam Birch sliced a corner into his own net within three minute of the restart to put paid to hopes of a fightback.

Jake Butler put the icing on a comprehensive display with a powerful drive three minutes before fulltime.

Next Sunday’s final kicks off at 2.05pm, with Auckland and Waitakere’s academies meeting in the National Youth League final in an 11am curtain raiser.

New Zealand Football Championship Playoffs (second leg)

Saturday 21 March

Waitakere United: 5 (Roy Krishna 6, 82; Benjamin Totori 43; own goal (Adam Birch) 48; Jake Butler 87)

Team Wellington: 0

Halftime: 2-0

Waitakere win 6-0 on aggregate

Sunday 22 March

Auckland City 3 (Chad Coombes 43, Keryn Jordan 73-pen, 87)

YoungHeart Manawatu 0

Halftime: 1-0

Auckland win 4-3 on aggregate

Grand Final

Sunday 29 March

Waitakere United v Auckland City

Douglas Field

2.05pm (Live on Sky Sports 2)

Story courtesy of NZF Media 

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