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It's not exactly Glasgow Rangers and Celtic or even Manchester United and Liverpool but it's fair to say there's no love lost between Auckland City and Waitakere United.
The two sides are the bitterest of enemies - by New Zealand standards - and their last match, a 2-2
draw in their O-League qualifier, ended in a handbag swinging session.
It's perhaps implausible, then, that two players from each side live together. Auckland's Riki van Steeden and Bryan Little share a Westmere flat with Waitakere brothers Allan and Graham Pearce.
"It certainly gives an edge to the atmosphere of the flat," Allan said.
For the past two years, mind games have been played, phone calls taken in private and tidbits concerning game plans and formations divulged to coaches.
Flat golfing, pool and trivia competitions take on greater significance and are fiercely contested along club lines (Auckland vs Waitakere) and there's a decided edge to things when football is concerned.
"We're not friends on the field," said van Steeden, a combative player who was sent off in the recent O-League game.
"We have discussed that anything that happens on the field, stays on the field, so brace yourself for war."
In 12 'wars' between the two, Waitakere have never beaten Auckland and van Steeden believes they have a psychological edge over their cross-town rivals.
But the last three games have ended in a stalemate and Auckland have a lot more to lose in tomorrow night's NZFC final.
As league winners, Waitakere have already qualified for next year's O-League but Auckland have to win to join them in the potentially lucrative competition.
"We are confident because we usually do well in finals," van Steeden said. "We haven't lost a final and we have a number of big-game players. I think we will do the business."
Van Steeden will mark Allan Pearce tomorrow night, a player who this week was selected in the NZFC Team of the Season.
Although Waitakere have one eye on next weekend's first leg of their O-League final in Fiji against national champions Ba, Pearce said they desperately wanted to beat Auckland to finally notch a win against the two-time NZFC champions.
"It would be brilliant to do it in the final," the midfielder said. "We hate Auckland City so it would be nice to rub their noses in it once and for all in such a big game. If we beat Auckland, it will give us great confidence going into the O-League final."
It will also give the Pearce brothers something equally significant - bragging rights in their flat.
