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One of the club’s billionaire owners, Anna Mowbray, had promised the inaugural gaffer he would get to drive her Porsche for a week if the team won the third Kiwi derby.
Corica completed the task with flying colours, beating the 16-year-old club from the capital 6-1 in Auckland. It followed their 2-0 and 2-1 victories against the side last year in Wellington and Auckland respectively.
“[After the the third derby] if we were to win it, I got a car for a week,” Corica said ahead of his side’s top-of-the-table clash with Adelaide United on Saturday.
“It was a real nice car and obviously ... fair’s fair, she handed over the keys.”
Mowbray, founder of Zuru toy company, and her former All Black husband Ali Williams own a 15% share of the club, alongside American billionaire Bill Foley.
Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray at the Auckland FC launch. Photo / Photosport
“I have [been driving the car all week]. I got a flat tyre actually yesterday, so it’s probably not great for it,” Corica laughed.
He said Mowbray helped with getting the tyre replaced, so he didn’t have to.
Corica was seen receiving the keys after full-time at Go Media Stadium last Saturday as Auckland FC went eight points clear at the top of the A-League table.
Adelaide United coach Carl Veart acknowledged how well the new team have performed since arriving in the transtasman competition.
“[Auckland FC have] proven very difficult for all the teams this year,” Veart said in Auckland. “Credit to Steve, he’s organised an excellent squad and they’ve been playing some excellent football so far this year. We know it’s going to be a tough game.”
The top sides’ clash in South Australia in late January ended 2-2 after a goal from each side came late in injury time.
“Hopefully we can go that one step further this time. I thought it was one of the most exciting games so far this season and the intensity of that game for the whole 100 minutes was excellent and I expect that again.”
Veart said preventing the Black Knights’ attacking pair of Guillermo May and Max Mata will be key in Auckland.
Logan Rogerson celebrates a goal in the final seconds against Adelaide United. Photo / Photosport
“They’ve been quite a good combination since they’ve been playing together so that’s one combination we’ll have to watch.
“[There’s also] the midfield, how hard they work in the midfield as well. It’s going to be really important how we move the ball to open up and give us an opportunity to score some goals.”
The match kicks off at 5pm on Saturday at Go Media Stadium.
Bonnie Jansen is a multimedia journalist in the NZME sports team. She’s a football commentator and co-host of the Football Feverpodcast, and was part of the Te Rito cadetship scheme before becoming a full-time journalist.
