Latest news with #HekariUnited
Reuters
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Auckland City amateurs take a break from the day job for Club World Cup
June 11 (Reuters) - While most of the teams at the revamped Club World Cup would have a claim to be among the best sides in their countries, Auckland City are not even the biggest club in New Zealand's most populous city. That status belongs to Auckland FC, who played in front of crowds of almost 30,000 as they topped the regular standings in their debut campaign in Australia's A-League this year. Australia has been in the Asian Football Confederation since 2006, however, so it falls to Auckland City to represent the Oceania confederation in the United States over the next couple of weeks. "We're representing 99% of club teams in world football who are amateurs," Adam Mitchell, centre back and real estate agent, told Fox Sports. "We all have day jobs. We work usually nine to five. It's extremely difficult and it's tiring, but to have these rewards at the end of the tunnel is obviously a privilege for every single person involved in this in this club." Auckland City, whose home crowds range from a few hundred to a couple of thousand, qualified by beating Papua New Guinea's Hekari United 2-0 to win the Oceania Champions League for the 13th time in 18 years in April. Rated the 4,957th best team in the world in the Opta Power Rankings, opens new tab, Auckland City will play former European champions Bayern Munich (6th) and Benfica (24th) as well as Argentina's Boca Juniors (131st) at their 12th Club World Cup. They finished fourth at the 2014 edition after beating Morocco's MA Tetouan on penalties and Algeria's ES Setif 1-0, but otherwise it has been mostly exits at the first hurdle before the big clubs get involved. This year's Club World Cup is an altogether different beast with 32 teams, including the biggest in the game, and $1 billion in prize money. Mitchell, who failed to make the grade at Red Star Belgrade and Bolton Wanderers in his teens and early 20s, is therefore contemplating the task of shackling England and Bayern striker Harry Kane in Cincinnati on Sunday. "He's one of the most prolific goalscorers in world football for the last five to six years," the 29-year-old said. "I can't say I won't let him score, but I'm going to do my best not to let him score." The club lost 1-0 to Al-Ain in their final warm-up match in Alexandria, Virginia on Tuesday, an encouraging result given they were hammered 6-2 by the Emiratis in the Intercontinental Cup last year. "Obviously back home in New Zealand, we're used to having a lot of the ball, a lot of possession, being on the front foot," said skipper Mario Ilich. "Coming up against these better teams, we have to adapt, we're learning every day, but I think today was a good step in the right direction for what's to come." Mediation continues between the club and New Zealand Football over how the prize money will be divided but Mitchell said he and his teammates, many of whom have had to take unpaid leave, have other immediate priorities. "We've been in hard competitions before and somehow this team keeps doing it," he said. "We come from behind, we win games, we want to show the world that that's who we are."
ABC News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Two-time runners up Hekari United out to topple Auckland United and secure the OFC Women's Champions League title at last
The players from Papua New Guinea's leading women's soccer team, Hekari United, will be on a mission this weekend when they play Auckland United in the OFC Women's Champions League final in Tahiti. And they'll be hoping that third time lucky works for them, after finishing runners-up in the previous two tournaments, and after losing their previous two encounters against Auckland by a single goal. In last year's final the NZ team won 1-nil, and in the group stage this year, they again got the better of the PNG outfit, this time by two goals to one. There's no doubt that the two best teams have made the decider, with the other five way off the pace and losing games by big margins, but can Hekari find a way to topple the Kiwis? Matt Manukuo from the OFC media team says Auckland are wary of their opponents, and Hekari are certainly in with a chance.
ABC News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Polio outbreak declared in Papua New Guinea
On the program today: Legal aid groups in Timor Leste are calling for the country's president to reject a proposal to pardon an American, former priest who's been convicted of abusing young children. Timor Opposition MP Nurima Alkatari says the government's proposal for a pardon for Richard Daschbach show a lack of empathy for his victims. Domestic violence and gender violence is an epidemic in the Pacific affecting women from all works of life, including leaders. One prominent Fijian MP is calling for change after being the subject of cyber bullying and harassment. The World Health Organisation has declared a polio out break in Papua New Guinea after two children were diagnosed with the disease. The victim of a horrific bashing in Vanuatu says he was shocked, confused and re-traumatised by the Vanuatu President's decision to reduce his attackers' sentences. In Tonga King Tupou VI has urged leaders to uphold truth and justice as Parliament wound up its business. As Pacific countries prepare for next months' United Nations Oceans Summit in France Vanuatu is leading the charge calling for greater action to protect the world's oceans. The players from Papua New Guinea's leading women's soccer team, Hekari United, will be on a mission this weekend when they play Auckland United in the OFC Women's Champions League final in Tahiti.
