Auckland FC's record season gets even better
Auckland FC goalkeeper Alex Paulsen celebrates with the Premiers Plate at Go Media Stadium yesterday. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
Auckland FC's dream debut season got even better.
They became the first New Zealand side to win the A-League Premiers Plate before a ball had been kicked in their penultimate game yesterday.
Auckland sealed top spot and the Premiers Plate when second-placed Melbourne City drew 0-0 at home to Adelaide United on Saturday night.
The result left the New Zealand side, in their debut season, in an unassailable position as Melbourne City trailed by five points with only one game of their own to play.
The icing on the cake for Auckland was last night's 1-0 win against Perth Glory in front of their home crowd at Go Media Stadium, thanks to Marlee Francois's corner strike — his first for the club — which went in off the post in the 62nd minute.
It caps off a historic inaugural season for Auckland FC, who made a record-breaking unbeaten start to life in football's A-League.
Backed by one of the league's best defences, a strong attack and exceptional home support, Steve Corica's men have led the league for much of their first season.
Auckland have locked in a semifinal berth, and also a chance to host the grand final if the playoffs go well.
A-League executive chairman Stephen Conroy congratulated the new team on their success.
"It's testament to all involved with Auckland FC for the impact they've had on and off the field; playing fantastic football and building an incredible connection with the local football community."
The finals series starts on the weekend of May 9-11 with two elimination finals between third and sixth, and fourth and fifth, before the two winners face the top two sides in two-legged semifinals.
The winners will progress to the grand final with the highest-placed team from the regular season earning the right to host the showpiece event on the weekend of May 31-June 1.
• The Wellington Phoenix are destined for the Australia Cup playoffs in May after a 1-0 loss to Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Florin Berenguer's second-half strike sealed all three points for the Roar, who have picked up seven of their 18 points for the season in their past three games in a strong finish to the campaign by Ruben Zadkovich's side.
The result killed off Wellington's slender hopes of finishing ninth on the A-League table and avoiding an Australia Cup playoff.
The Phoenix, semifinalists last season, are now certain to finish in the bottom four in 2024-25, as they trail ninth-placed Newcastle Jets by five points with just one game left to play.
The four teams that finish 10th to 13th on the table will travel to Darwin in mid-May for two playoff fixtures to determine which two clubs join the top-nine finishers on the table in the 2025 edition of the Australia Cup. — RNZ/A-Leagues
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