Soccer: Auckland striker's US$1m hat-trick

Keryn Jordan (centre) scores the second of his three goals for Auckland City against AS Pirae yesterday. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Keryn Jordan turned on his best impersonation of the million-dollar man at North Harbour Stadium last night.

Backed by Auckland City teammates who never lost sight of the big prize, Jordan's hat-trick in their 3-1 win over nemesis AS Pirae killed off the brave Tahitian challenge.

The victory deservedly catapulted unbeaten City all the way from their Kiwitea St home to Japan as Oceania's representative in December's World Club Championships - where even the worst team is guaranteed a US$1 million ($1.6 million) pay day.

Jordan hogged the limelight with his three goals but his teammates were not too far behind in coping with a gutsy effort from an under-powered but highly competitive Pirae side.

This was no place for faint hearts, the stakes guaranteed that.

The tackles were uncompromising, the determination fiercely etched on the faces of 22 players prepared to give it all for the cause.

The visitors were up against it.

Without three players, including inspirational captain Naea Bennett, due to their religious beliefs, and with Area Respoawiro - serving the second match of his two-match suspension after his sending-off in the two sides' pool match on Tuesday - it was never going to be easy.

They also ran into a City side who turned up with their A game, something they had not managed at times in earlier outings.

The talented visitors refused to give up. Even at 3-0 down they battled more resolutely than money alone demanded.

That was not enough - even if tireless striker Desmond Faauiaso did have the last say with his 82nd-minute goal - against a City side absolutely intent there would be no slip-up.

City coach Allan Jones, unconcerned at Bennett's no-show and pointing to Axel Williams as more than capable of playing the same attacking role, had identified talented Jose Hmae as the play-making danger.

Matt Cunneen was handed the man-marking role and did that superbly, leading Jones to agree his players had played "absolutely according to the game plan".

From first whistle this was as action-packed as predicted.

Within five minutes Che Bunce had been hauled up by Australian referee Ben Williams for a rugged tackle on the edge of the penalty area.

The challenges continued.

Faauiaso had the first chance with a diving header. Minutes later Jordan played the ball to Grant Young, who snapped a shot straight at goalkeeper Jonathon Torohia.

The attacks were relentless. Faauiaso fired into the side netting.

The deadlock broke in the 24th minute when captain Neil Sykes played in an attacking freekick. Jordan's head completed the task.

Torohia blocked a shot by Young, Hmae beat the offside trap and charged at City goalkeeper Ross Nicholson who bravely blocked for a corner. And so the contest ran its course.

Five minutes before the break Graham Little played the ball in, Young headed down, Jordan got a foot to the bouncing ball. Only half-cleared, Jordan buried the return.

Seventeen minutes into the second spell, the bell tolled for the visitors when Jordan got into the penalty area, was clipped by Torohia, fell and happily accepted the penalty which he just as quickly smashed home.

But the Tahitians were not done with. Nicholson produced a superb save to deny Williams and later another to keep out a sweetly struck Hiroana Poroiae freekick.

Jones was emphatic in lauding his keeper as the best in the land.

This was Jones' last game with the club before moving on to join the national body as women's coach.

"I've done what I told the chairman [Ivan Vuksich] what I would do three years ago," he said.

In a game which the Fijians didn't want to play, YoungHeart Manawatu won the playoff for third and fourth against Nokia Eagles United 4-0. Benjamin Totori scored a hat-trick.

The spoils

* Payout for qualifying for World Club Championships in Japan US$1 million ($1.6 million).

* Auckland City: US$300,000.

* City's players/staff: US$300,000.

* Remaining seven NZFC clubs: US$300,000 (shared).

* NZ Soccer: US$100,000.