Waterside travel to Christchurch to take on Coastal Spirit at Linfield Park on Saturday while the other semi-final is an Auckland derby between Eastern Suburbs and Glenfield Rovers on Sunday at Madills Farm.
Former Football Fern Leota has rattled in 58 goals in just 20 matches across three competitions, two of which (the Central League and local cup competition), Waterside has already won.
The Wellington club, which had never before reached the last four of the national knockout trophy, is riding an unbeaten run this season and looking to carry that red-hot local form into their first cross-region match of the season to stay in the hunt for an unprecedented club treble.
“It’s great to have Renee banging in the goals,” Waterside Karori coach Michael Greene says.
“Every team needs a finisher but she is strongly supported by the rest of the team. Other players in our team have stepped up to score goals but I’d be surprised if there was a better finisher around at the moment. Her record this season says it all.
“We’re undefeated this season so trying to hold onto that record is a real incentive. I don’t think many teams in any grade can lay claim to being unbeaten in all league and cup competitions. It would be great to get the trifecta.
“It was the goal at the start of the season to win a trophy or two and winning three would be exceeding expectations but we’ve still got a fair bit to do.”
Semi-finals have been regular stumbling blocks for sides from the capital in recent years. In fact, Wellington teams have been knocked out at this stage in each of the last seven seasons. Petone were the last Wellington team to reach the final in 1998.
Greene admits to not knowing much about Coastal Spirit and, while he expects a frosty reception from the Cantabrians, he says talk of a semi-final jinx is only adding to his side’s determination.
“It’s not playing on our mind – if anything it adds to the motivation as we want to be the first Wellington team in a while to reach the final. We’re keen to try and break up the Auckland dominance so it’s just added incentive for making the final and getting a crack at one of those Auckland teams.”
ASB Knockout Cup semi-finals
Coastal Spirit v Waterside Karori
Linfield Park, Christchurch
Saturday 20 August, 12.30pm
Eastern Suburbs v Glenfield Rovers
Madills Farm, Auckland
Sunday 21 August, 1pm
Final
August 27 or 28
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz

Share