Auckland City surpass Suva in extra time to celebrate one more OFC Champions League title

In a thrilling grand final match of the OFC Champions League, held on Saturday, 27th May at Port Vila’s Freshwater Stadium, Auckland City emerged victorious with a 4-2 win over Suva. The New Zealand club secured their 11th title in the tournament and successfully defended their previous year’s triumph, showcasing their dominance in Oceania football.

Auckland City took the lead in the first half, capitalizing on a penalty opportunity awarded when Nathan Lobo was fouled by Suva’s Ravnesh Karan Singh. The Papua New Guinea referee, David Yareboinen, made the decision, and Angus Kilkolly confidently converted the penalty, putting Auckland City in front.

As the first half progressed, Auckland City extended their lead through a surprising turn of events. A clearance from goalkeeper Conor Tracey unintentionally turned into an assist, finding the feet of the super-sub Ryan de Vries, who struck a magnificent goal to double Auckland City’s advantage before halftime.

After the break, Suva emerged with determination to mount a comeback. Their efforts were aided when Gerrard Garriga of Auckland City was sent off after a brawl near the throw-in line, receiving his second yellow card. Capitalizing on the numerical advantage, Suva managed to pull one back through Alex Saniel‘s headed goal, reducing the deficit.

Suva’s pursuit of an equalizer intensified, and their hard work paid off in the 84th minute. Marlon Tahioa, an international player from the Solomon Islands, found the back of the net with a long-range strike that took a deflection, leveling the game and sending it into extra time.

The tension continued to rise as the match entered extra time. Azariah Soromon, the Vanuatu international, received his second yellow card, reducing Suva to ten men. Both teams fought fiercely for the winning goal, but it was Auckland City who broke the deadlock in the final 15 minutes of extra time.

Liam Gillion delivered a fantastic pass, finding Auckland City’s captain, Cam Howieson, inside the penalty box. Howieson demonstrated his sharp finishing skills and put his team ahead with a clinical strike. Suva pushed forward desperately in search of an equalizer but faced strong resistance from Auckland City’s goalkeeper, Conor Tracey, who denied their efforts.

In the dying minutes of the match, Cam Howieson once again played a pivotal role. He delivered a superb assist over the defense, finding Ryan de Vries in a one-on-one situation with Suva’s goalkeeper, Akuila Mateisuva. De Vries calmly scored his second goal of the match, sealing the victory and the title for Auckland City.

Suva displayed immense bravery and made it extremely challenging for the defending champions throughout the game. However, Auckland City’s experience and class ultimately prevailed, earning them the well-deserved victory. With this triumph, Auckland City secured qualification for another appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup, which will be held later this year, marking the last edition under the current format before the 2025 tournament.