A-League: Auckland FC's heads up play stands out
Auckland FC's Logan Rogerson scores.
Photo:
Shane Wenzlick / www.photosport.nz
Auckland FC players are heads above any other A-League semi-finalists this season - when using their head.
Of Auckland's 50 goals scored this season, 11 have been scored by headers, including Logan Rogerson's
goal on Saturday
, which is the difference going into the second semi-final against Melbourne Victory this weekend.
Auckland are ranked second in the A-League for headed goals.
The three other semi-finalists - Victory, Melbourne City and Western United - have all scored six times from headers.
Rogerson, who is Auckland's joint leading goal scorer, has scored nine goals this season. Four of them were headed home.
Defender Nando Pijnaker, who is 1.92 metres tall, has scored half of his four goals for Auckland from headers.
Nando Pijnaker scoring a goal during the A-League Men Round 24 match between Brisbane Roar and Auckland FC at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Photo:
Dave Hunt/ Photosport
Pijnaker is also part of Auckland's lofty wall in defence. He is leading the club in blocks and clearances.
On average, Auckland's starting 11 in the first semi-final on Saturday were taller than Victory, despite Victory having one of the tallest players in the league, defender Lachlan Jackson.
Jackson is 1.96 metres tall. Auckland's back-up goalkeeper Michael Woud is the same height. The next tallest player on the field on Saturday was Auckland's starting keeper Alex Paulsen, at 1.93 metres.
In front of Paulsen, and alongside Pijnaker, are Francis de Vries (1.88m), Hiroki Sakai (1.85m) and Dan Hall (1.84m).
Hiroki Sakai of Auckland FC heads the ball.
Photo:
AAP / Photosport
Captain Sakai scored one of his three goals with his head. Midfielder Louis Verstraete (1.87m) scored with a header against Macarthur FC and when Guillermo May (1.81m) is not scoring with his left foot he is netting with his head.
By comparison, Victory's goalkeeper Jack Duncan is listed at 1.89m with Josh Inserra and Kasey Bos both 1.80m and Brendan Hamill 1.85m among those starting at the back and charged with stopping Auckland finding a way to goal by head or foot.
Nikos Vergos and Nishan Velupillay are Victory's joint leading goal-scorers with seven goals this season. Vergos (1.84m) has scored twice from headers.
Clarismario Santos who started off the bench in the first semi-final has scored two of his four goals via headers for Victory.
Jason Geria who left Victory part way through the season to play in Japan scored once in 12 appearances - with a header.
Auckland FC's Francis de Vries up against Brisbane Roar FC's Ben Halloran.
Photo:
Shane Wenzlick / www.photosport.nz
Being able to elevate above other players is only one part of setting up a successful header. The ball needs to be in the right place to help make it happen.
De Vries' cross for Rogerson's goal in the first semi-final has been described by Victory player Daniel Arzani as a "nothing ball" but it is the kind of play that saw Auckland claim the
Premiers Plate
.
Something similar could be all Auckland need to get into the A-League Grand Final.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter
curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
ANZ Premiership live updates: Stars v Magic
Mila Reuelu-Buchanan takes the ball in the Stars v Magic match at the Auckland Netball Centre on 3 June, 2024. Photo: Photosport / Andrew Cornaga Last weekend the Magic comfortably beat the Stars in Hamilton, can the Aucklanders turn it round with home court advantage? Play starts at 7:30pm. Follow all the action with RNZ's live blog:
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
Fight to save Western Springs Speedway continues
Photo: James Selwyn Operators of the Western Springs Speedway in Auckland are confident they have managed to change some minds at the city council after making their case to stay open. Public submissions on the stadium's future opened this week, with the Western Springs Speedway Association taking the opportunity to submit its own proposal to maintain the status quo. It opposes two other proposals - one for a private stadium and the other for a ratepayer-funded overhaul. The association is seeking a 30-year lease to keep the speedway running, arguing the space is flexible enough to be used for a variety of purposes including concerts, rugby, football and basketball. "A lot of people aren't aware the pit gate can be removed for concerts, so it's actually very easy to set a concert up there," spokesperson Jason Jones said "There's a lot of space that's under-utilized, like the upper carpark where we feel if they did want to build basketball courts that's the most appropriate place." He argued it was the most sensible option, avoiding costly renovations or privatisation. "In the meeting we had a local basketball club and Western Springs Football, we [think] if all these groups got together that we could utilise the stadium a lot better without it being privatised," he said. "In the past we've had the speedway, concerts, and rugby coexist and it's worked pretty well. You can build on that with other community groups." Gina Harris, a driver at Western Springs Speedway, presented the proposal alongside Jones. She said councillors were receptive. "After actually having our say there was a lot of them mumbling that they wished they had known all of this when they were forced to make a decision last October... They would have voted differently," she said. Harris said it was a shame it had taken so long for the council to hear them out. "For this to be the first opportunity for Aucklanders to actually have their say about one of their biggest assets so far down the track, it's not a good look for the council." Jones agreed. "Having councillors make decisions without key facts and information is just not appropriate, so we've got submissions until the 16th for the general public and we'd like them to put it back on the table and revisit it." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
NZ Golfer Ryan Fox wins Canadian Open
New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox has made a habit of winning in nail-biting fashion on the PGA Tour. Fox won the Canadian Open in Toronto, in the fourth hole of a play-off. It was Fox's second play-off victory on the tour in less than a month. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
