A first-half penalty from Manel Exposito and fortunate late goal to Luis Corrales sealed the victory for Auckland City after the home side had earlier drawn level through the competition’s top goal scorer Fenedy Masauvakalo midway through the second spell.
The two sides now head to Auckland’s home ground Kiwitea Street for the 2nd Leg Final on Sunday 17 April, kick-off 2:00pm. Auckland City have been Oceania champions twice, in 2006 and 2009, but this is Amicale’s first ever appearance in an O-League final. The winner of the 2011 O-League will go on to represent OFC at the FIFA Club World Cup, to be held in Japan during December. The victorious club will also receive US$ 500,000 in qualifying for the FIFA Club World Cup.
Amicale vs. Auckland City: Download Match Summary Here
See below for the play-by-play action.
The starting line-ups:
Amicale: 1. Ernest BONG (GK), 3. Young PAUL, 4. Selwyn SESE ALA, 6. Nelson Sale KILIFA, 7. Jean-Robert YELOU, 11. Fenedy MASAUVAKALO (c), 13. Gibson DAUDAU, 15. Alphonse BONGNAIM, 18. Richard GARAE, 19. Jack WETNEY, 25. Stanley WAITA
Substitutes: 8. Jerry SHEM, 9. Dereck MALAS, 10. Batram SURI, 14. Moffat DERAMOA, 16. Mostyn SANGA, 20. Joel NAKAPUE (RGK), 31. Edika MAETA
Auckland City: 1. Jacob SPOONLEY (GK), 2. Angel BERLANGA, 3. Ian HOGG, 6. Stuart KELLY, 7. James PRITCHETT, 8. David MULLIGAN, 9. Manel EXPOSITO, 11. Daniel KOPRIVCIC, 13. Alex FENERIDIS, 14. Adam DICKINSON, 15. Ivan VICELICH
Substitutes: 4. Sam CAMPBELL, 10. Luis CORRALES, 12. Liam LITTLE (RGK), 20. Riki VAN STEEDEN, 22. Andrew MILNE, 23. Adam THOMAS
1′ The match kicks off and Amicale immediately go on the attack
3′ Auckland are now enjoying the attack and Mulligan whips over a free kick that the Amicale defence heads away
4′ Auckland have a free kick in a dangerous position but Kelly’s bended delivery is again defended well by Amicale
5′ Exposito releases Kelly down the right for Auckland with a lovely reverse pass but the attack fizzles out
7′ YELLOW CARD: Bongnaim is cautioned for Amicale and Auckland have yet another free kick in a dangerous area
8′ The free kick is cleared and Amicale break down the left through Yelou
9′ O-League top-scorer Masauvakalo almost gets on the end of a through ball but City goalkeeper Spoonley comes out to gather
10′ Wetney causes excitement for the 7,000-strong crowd when he shows some good skill down the left but his progress is halted and the City defence force Amicale back
11′ Exposito closes down Amicale goalkeeper Bong, who smashes the ball straight into the City striker. It ballons up and looks like it might drop in but lands on the rough off the net
13′ The home fans are off their feet again when Paul finds space on the right and sends over a deep cross to Garae, but his volley goes well wide
14′ Wetney runs onto a through ball down the right for Amicale but loses his footing as he tries to cross and the ball goes out for a corner
15′ City striker Dickinson makes progress deep down the right and tries to win a corner but instead concedes a goalkick
16′ Amicale look to begin an attack but the offside flag is raised
17′ YELLOW CARD: Yelou is cautioned for Amicale
19′ Wetney shows his silky skills again to the delight of the crowd and finds Masauvakalo but City defend well and the ball goes out for an Auckland throw in
20′ City are awarded a penalty when Bong charges out and collides with Exposito. The goalkeeper is hurt in the challenge and play is held up while he receives treatment
20′ YELLOW CARD: Bong is cautioned for conceeding the penalty
22′ GOAL!!! Auckland City 1, Amicale 0: Exposito dusts himself off and takes the penalty, which Bong gets two hands to but can’t keep out
23′ To get back into the game, Amicale must now find a way past an Auckland defence that has only conceeded two goals in their entire 2011 O-League campaign
24′ Masauvakalo has a chance at the near post but his close range header goes straight into the arms of Spoonley
25′ Daudau breaks down the right for Amicale and his centre goes to City fullback Pritchett. His attempted clearance goes straight into the air and Spoonley is put under great pressure but manages to gather at the second attempt
26′ Wetney earns a corner when his sharp turn and cross is put behind by City captain Vicelich
27′ Amicale have their third corner in a row and play a short one. The ball eventually comes in from Yelou but his centre is headed away by Vicelich
29′ Amicale will be bouyed by that spell of pressure and appear determined to get back into the game
30′ Garae makes progress down the right for Amicale but is forced to go back and Amicale give the ball away
31′ Daudau tries to pick out Masauvakalo with a through ball but Vicelich comes across to defend well
32′ Amicale are enjoying the better of the game and are finding space in front of a deep City defence but have not created many clear cut chances
33′ City fullback Hogg is hurt in an heavy challenge and play is held up while he receives treatment
34′ Hogg leaves the field but comes straight back on, just before Bong punches away Mulligan’s free kick
38′ Exposito wins the ball in a promising position down the left for City and appeals for hand ball against Young but is turned down by New Caledonian referee Betrand Billion
41′ Masauvakalo makes room for himself for a shot on the edge of the box but it lacks power and goes straight to Spoonley anyway
41′ Waiata evades several tackles on the left hand side of the City box and forces Spoonley to come out and block near the by line
42′ Amicale put the City defence under great pressure but a foul on Mulligan allows Auckland to calm things down and clear
44′ Daudau receives the ball on the right for Amicale and tries to cut in and shoot but his left foot strike is blocked
44′ Two minutes of injury time will be played
45′ Daudau sends over a looping cross in the direction of Masauvakalo but Spoonley rises well and shows good hands to keep hold of the ball under pressure
The first half comes to an end
The second half kicks off
46′ Amicale win a free kick in a promising position deep into Auckland territory on the right
47′ Masauvakalo swings in a low cross from the free kick and Yelou heads it onto the bar. A City player must have got a touch somewhere because a corner is given
48′ Masauvakalo tries his luck in the box after the corner but his shot is blocked
48′ YELLOW CARD: Garae is cautioned for Amicale
50′ Amicale are enjoying a spell of possession across the back
52′ SUBSTITUTION: Koprivcic is replaced by Thomas for Auckland
53′ SUBSTITUTE: Garae is replaced by Deramoa for Amicale
53′ Daudau breaks down the left and finds Masauvakalo but the attack peters out
55′ Kelly cross from the left after some City passes down the left but the centre is dealt with easily
58′ Wetney cuts inside from the right for Amicale and has a go at goal but the ball flies high and wide of the target
59′ Masauvakalo is put in on the right of Auckland’s box and tries to back heel to ball to a team mate but Vicelich steps in to cut it out and clear
61′ Amicale have begun this second half very well and are pressing hard to find the equaliser
61′ SUBSTITUTION: Waiata is replaced by Malas for Amicale
62′ Yelou breaks down the right and wins a corner for Amicale
63′ SUBSITUTION: Mulligan is replaced by Corrales for Auckland
66′ Dickinson makes progress down the left for City and squares for Exposito but he is crowded out by the Amicale defence as he tries to shoot
66′ Substitute Malas shows good skill on the edge of the City box and tries to slip a pass through but Vicelich cuts it out
67′ GOAL!!! Amicale 1, Auckland City 1: Amicale draw level when top-scorer Masauvakalo swivels insi
de the box and fires a left foot shot past Spoonley and inside the far post
71′ Amicale have done well to get back into the game and will now be desperate to find the winner and take an advantage back to Auckland in two weeks’ time
73′ Wetney releases Daudau down the right for Amicale and he wins a corner
74′ The corner comes to nothing and City are able to move forward down the left
75′ Amicale are putting lots of pressure on and City have not been able to get out of their half for a few minutes
75′ Masauvakalo very nearly sends the fans delirious when his curled left foot effort from the edge of the box almost sneaks inside Spoonley’s far post
77′ Masauvakalo charges at the Auckland defence and hits another left foot shot from a similar position as his last but the ball goes well over the bar this time
78′ YELLOW CARD: Substitute Corrales is cautioned for Auckland
79′ Yelou’s cross from the free kick goes straight to Spoonley
80′ Exposito breaks down the left for Auckland fires a left foot shot wide of Bong’s near post
82′ Auckland City 2, Amicale 1: City regain the lead in fortunate fashion when Corrales does not connect cleanly with a deep cross but defender Sese Ala smashes his clearance straight into the grounded attacker and the rebound bounces into the net
82′ SUBSTITUTION: Paul is replaced by Shem for Amicale
84′ SUBSTITUTION: Exposito is replaced by Milne for Auckland
87′ Auckland have a corner on the right and Kelly plays it short to Corrales as the visitors look to soak up a bit of time
88′ YELLOW CARD: Milne is cautioned for Auckland
89′ Masauvakalo goes down in the box for Amicale and appeals for a penalty but it turned down
90′ Amicale are pressing hard to find a second equaliser but are running out of time now
90′ Amicale get the news they were hoping for when a lengthy four minutes of injury time is signalled
90′ + 2′ The ball is at the wrong end of the field as far as Amicale are concerned and Auckland are trying keep it that way
90′ + 3′ Amicale finally get the ball back and look to break forward
The final whistle is blown.