City 3 Magenta 1
United 3 Tefana 1
Contrasting efforts brought the same result yesterday as Auckland City and Waitakere United kicked off their O-League campaigns with much-needed home wins in Group B.
The real talking points came from Group A however, as hotly-favoured Hekari United, the playing-through champions and just weeks out from their trip to Fifa's Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, were undone 2-1 at home by Vanuatu champions Amicale.
Hekari trailed 1-0 at halftime and 2-0 minutes into the second spell.
It was a similar story in the Solomon Islands, as hotshot Koloale FC were also beaten 2-1 at home after they fell 2-0 behind after 26 minutes. They got one back before halftime to complete the scoring.
Closer to home, Auckland City scored three in 15 minutes from the 18th minute for their 3-0 win over New Caledonian champions Magenta at Kiwitea St.
Last season's beaten finalists, Waitakere, were the only team to come from behind to claim the points when they put a shabby first hour behind them to beat 10-man Tefana 3-1 at Fred Taylor Park yesterday.
In the end Waitakere got home on a goal from man-of-the-match Roy Krishna and two late efforts from substitutes Michael Gwyther and Sean Lovemore.
"I thought our discipline was better, but again I was not happy with the way we played in the first half," said United coach Neil Emblen. "I let them know my feelings at halftime. To their credit they picked it up in the second half."
Waitakere seemed short on ideas.
They continually attempted - unsuccessfully - to beat the towering Tefana defenders in the air and generally lacked the go-forward and decisiveness to be effective against a more than useful Tahitian outfit.
A weak Aaron Scott pass led to the visitor's opening goal - well taken by midfielder Axel Williams in the 24th minute. The visitors created other half chances but without seriously testing United goalkeeper Andy Ralph.
Waitakere, too, had half chances - and an 11-2 corner count - but were taken to stoppage time at the end of the first spell before Krishna snatched his well-taken equaliser.
Zane Sole muffed the best chance of the match just after the break, but eventually the ship was righted in the last 10 minutes when Fijian referee Andrew Achari sent off defender Tauraa Marmouyet for a second yellow in an innocuous incident in which Martin Bullock was also booked.
Auckland City, too, took time to settle but once Adam McGeorge headed home a bouncing ball to get them started; they were always going to win.
David Mulligan showed his deft dead ball skills by thumping home a long-range freekick on the half hour and from a second Mulligan freekick two minutes later Daniel Kopricvic headed home to again expose goalkeeper Michel Hne's shortcomings.
In next round group B action, Waitakere are at home to Auckland City on November 13.
