Soccer: City, Manawatu share top spot on points table

Round five losses for Waitakere United and Canterbury United have left Auckland City and YoungHeart Manawatu at the top of the New Zealand Football Championship.

Four teams were locked at the top after the fourth round but Manawatu beat Waitakere 2-1 in Palmerston North yesterday to hand them their second loss of the season and tip them out of a share of the lead.

At Newtown Park, Team Wellington yesterday got up for their second win, 2-0 over Canterbury United, which also dropped the southerners out of the logjam at the top of table.

Manawatu went ahead of visiting Waitakere late in the first spell when Commins Menapi scored.

Without Australians Pablo Cardozo and Shannon Cole, Waitakere battled back to 1-1, 11 minutes into the second spell when Richie Cardozo hit home from the penalty spot after Chris Limmer, in United's starting XI for the first time, was upended.

The visitors' hopes of salvaging a point from what would have been the first draw of the championship were dashed three minutes from time when referee Peter O'Leary, on a word from his linesman, awarded the home side a penalty which Ian Robinson slotted.

It will not get any easier for Waitakere. They are away to Canterbury on Sunday before meeting Auckland City at home in the last round of the first phase.

A goal in each half was enough to earn Team Wellington their points.

After some good work in training this week, coach Mick Waitt was rewarded when Bryan Little opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and Wiremu Patrick, who had been injected into the game inside 10 minutes when Michael Smith departed with an injury, made it safe with his 55th minute strike.

It also does not get any easier for Waikato FC.

They slumped to their fourth loss 4-0 to Otago United at Waikato Stadium after holding the southerners to a goal in the first half.

Terry Boylan opened the scoring on the half-hour for a 1-0 halftime lead.

Three goals from Francesco Caruso, Michael Eisenhut and Blair Scoullar in a seven-minute burst from the 53rd minute, ensured Otago would take their third win and a share of third place with Waitakere and Canterbury.

In Saturday's action, Auckland City took the points from Hawkes Bay United but not as easily as they might have expected.

A scrappy first half produced few scoring opportunities and no goals with Grant Young, Paul Seaman and Jonathan Smith (all City) going closest.

After being booked by referee Ian Walker for diving in the 49th minute, Keryn Jordan broke the deadlock three minutes later with a superb header from a Luis Del Monte corner.

Jordan was replaced a few minutes later by Paul Urlovic who added some bite and two goals.

His first was a simple effort after beating his marker and drawing goalkeeper Jonathan Gould. The second, a well-angled header from a neatly-placed Smith chip.

It was not one of City's better efforts but they were against a United side who defended stoutly and created a couple of half chances even if they did not force one corner in 90 minutes.

City are back at Kiwitea St on Saturday to play a Team Wellington side who are never easy despite what their results might suggest.

Meanwhile, three goals in a 14-minute burst from midway through the first half took Soccer2 to a 3-0 lead against Central Soccer in the semifinal of the women's national league at Bill McKinlay Park on Saturday.

Terry McCahill headed home from a 26th minute corner to put the home side on their way. Defending champions Capital host Sunday's final against Soccer2.