Soccer: Late goal keeps Waitakere hopes alive

Waitakere goalkeeper Danny Robinson. Photo / David Rowland.

An 86th minute own goal has kept Waitakere United's OFC Champions League dreams alive after they drew 1-1 with the Solomon Warriors in Fiji today.

Waitakere must now win their final Group A match against table-topping Tahitian side AS Pirae on Tuesday to have any chance of qualifying for the two-legged semi-finals.

The Warriors went ahead on the stroke of halftime when James Naka blasted past Waitakere keeper Danny Robinson from close range after a clever build up with Micah Lea-alafa.

Robinson was the standout performer for Waitakere and produced a number of top-drawer saves throughout the first half to deny the quick and creative Warriors attack.

After a desperate second half chasing the game, Waitakere finally found the net with four minutes to go, when a lofted ball into the box was fumbled into the goal by Warriors goalkeeper Silas Seda.

The winner of each of the three groups and the best second place finisher advance to the Champions League semi-finals and Amicale FC and Auckland City both sit on six points with one game to play in Group A. After beating Kiwi FC 2-0 on Wednesday, Waitakere now sit on four points which means they can only progress with a win.

They will have their work cut out against AS Pirae, who thumped Samoan side Kiwi FC 8-0 in the day's other match.
Waitakere coach Paul Temple was disappointed with the result, but felt relieved that they still have it all to play for on Tuesday.

"It was a tough battle, we knew they'd be a tough team to play against as they've got good players and it was exactly as we expected it to be," he said.

"I'm pleased that we showed the character to get the goal that I thought we deserved and at least got something from the game to keep us fighting in the competition."