Sunny Saturday’s and winning ways returned to Go Media Stadium, with Auckland FC running out 1-0 winners thanks to a goal to remember from Jesse Randall.
Head coach Steve Corica brought striker Guillermo May back into the side, the influential Uruguayan in for the Marlee François.
After a tame opening 20 minutes Auckland began to turn the screw, de Vries struck just wide before moments later Randall found the net with a superb goal.
A poor pass from the Western ‘keeper was picked up by Verstraete who squared it to Randall on the edge of the box. The young striker cooly cut inside his man and found the net with a low shot from the left side of the penalty area.
After that it was all Auckland, the home side dominating play up until the whistle blew for half time.
The second half was a fairly even contest, albeit a highly-physical one. Auckland pushed for a second, but it wasn’t to be, May coming closest with low curly shot that clipped the edge of the upright.
Corica made four changes; Cam Howieson, Marlee François, Callan Elliot and Logan Rogerson all getting minutes.
After five minutes of stoppage time the referee blew the whistle for full time and Auckland claimed all three points. Corica is now just a point off amassing 300 career points as manager. Next week against Adeliade promises to be a big one against two teams that have scored six goals apiece but never beaten each other.
Player of the Match: Jake Girdwood-Reich
Attendance: 14,676
Next home game at Go Media: Next Saturday, November 1 against Adelaide United. Our last encounter was a very entertaining 4-4 draw. Don’t miss this one. Tickets for this and all Auckland FC games can be bought here.
Favourite shirt that wasn’t an Auckland FC shirt: 1997/98 Aston Villa away
