Football: Shootout exit tough to take - Robertson

Bill Robertson

It was a case of so close and yet so far for footballer Bill Robertson in Fiji last Sunday.

"To get so far and not to go to the [Fifa] Club World Cup is kind of hard to take," says the co-captain of Team Wellington after returning to Napier from Suva following their 4-3 penalty shootout loss to defending champions Auckland City in the OFC league final.

City, who qualified for their seventh Club World Cup, were tied 1-1 in regulation time before clinching their fifth consecutive O-League crown.

Ironically centreback Robertson, of Napier, became the centre of commotion in the 13th minute when Tahitian referee Norbert Hauata awarded a penalty which striker Joao Moreira duly scored for a 1-0 lead.

Wellington goalkeeper Michael O'Keefe couldn't clear a freekick and as the ball dropped loose Robertson was judged to have pulled down Marko Dordevich inside the box.

The O-League newcomers didn't find the equaliser until the 79th minute through leftback Ian Hogg's left-foot volley following a freekick in the tempestuous affair with players exchanging a few handbags.

More controversy as Hauata awarded Auckland another penalty in the second spell of extra time after Hogg was deemed to have handled a Ryan de Vries shot. This time O'Keefe, who also parried a penalty shootout bid, denied Darren White. Wellington centreback Chris Bale was sent off for "going off at the referee".

"Team Wellington certainly didn't think so [penalties awarded]," says Robertson after teammates Luis Corrales and Hogg missed in the shootout.

The Capital side have reconciled the loss as "a good achievement in their first attempt".

Robertson enjoyed the "tough tourney" but "would have enjoyed it more had we won the last game".

He lauded the hosts but felt the turnaround time between games was testing although the weather was no different to the national summer league here.

Auckland will travel to Japan in December to improve on their incredible third-place finish last year.

On that occasion they brought home $3.22 million in prizemoney.