Soccer: Wins put old rivals in O-League decider

Waitakere United have maintained their late season goal-scoring efforts at Papeete's Stade Paea to set up a classic O-League group A decider against perennial rivals Auckland City at Kiwitea St on Sunday.

In Christchurch, City wrapped up the New Zealand Football Championship with a come-from-behind 3-1 away over Canterbury, despite having Chad Coombes sent off late in the first half.

Coombes will, however, be free to play this week's O-League fixture but will miss the meaningless NZFC catch-up game against YoungHeart Manawatu on April 2.

Keen to win by at least four goals in their rescheduled fifth-round fixture against French Polynesian champions AS Manu Ura, Waitakere got home 5-1 after leading 3-1 at halftime.

Ahead by that four-goal margin after an hour, the visitors held on to pick up their 11th point and, more importantly, edge ahead of City on goal difference.

Waitakere now go into the deciding match aware that a draw will be enough to win the group and a place in the O-League final against the group B winner.

The winner of the O-League will represent Oceania in the Fifa Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi in December.

After a tentative start, Waitakere took the lead after 28 minutes when Jason Rowley tapped in at the far post.

That joy was short-lived as the hosts hit back within two minutes when Hiroana Poroiea banged home a direct free-kick.

Roy Krishna, the hat-trick hero in the 4-2 win a week earlier, scored the goal of the match in the 43rd minute before Allan Pearce added a third in the dying seconds of the first spell for a 3-1 halftime lead.

Second goals for Rowley and Pearce in the first 15 minutes of the second half got Waitakere the goals, and margin, they wanted.

United coach Neil Emblen was pleased with the way his team had performed in the testing conditions.

"Not many teams go to the Islands and win by such a good margin," said Emblen.

"We'll take a lot of confidence from this match, especially the fact we put five in the back of the net. But Auckland are a good side and we know it will be a tough test next weekend."

There was no scoring in the first 40 minutes of the NZFC game at English Park. Hometown hero Aaron Clapham opened the scoring in the 44th minute shortly after Coombes had been sent off for a second yellow card.

Jason Hayne leveled to score just before the break and second-half goals to Daniel Koprivcic and substitute Paul Urlovic got City home and to the top of the points table, and won them their third minor premiership after wins in 2004-05 and 2005-06.

In all but the 2007-08 season, they have won the grand final.