Latest news with #NandoPijnaker
RNZ News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Football round-up: The one thing Auckland FC didn't have which cost them A-League history
Auckland FC's Hiroki Sakai dejected after their semi-final loss to the Melbourne Victory. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / It was so nearly the perfect ending to a perfect debut season. Auckland FC came within touching distance of an unprecedented Premier's Plate and A-League Championship double in their inaugural campaign. But in a season where they did almost everything right - recruitment, tactics, fitness, fan connection, discipline - one crucial attribute failed them at the vital moment in their semi-final loss to Melbourne Victory: luck. Nando Pijnaker has been a rock at the back all season, consistently putting his body on the line with scant regard for his personal wellbeing. No player in the league finished with more clearances than his 186. In one recent match, he produced three in quick succession as Auckland's trademark dogged defence held firm under pressure. But at Mount Smart on Saturday, the bounce didn't go his way. In the 55th minute, Zinedine Machach let fly with a speculative effort that clipped Pijnaker's sliding knee and careened cruelly past a wrong-footed Alex Paulsen. Zinédine Machach of Melbourne Victory takes a shot at goal to score, Auckland FC v Melbourne Victory FC, leg 2 of the A-League semi final at Go Media Stadium, Auckland. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Just like that, Auckland's first-leg advantage was gone. Five minutes later, things unravelled further. Still rattled, the defence switched off. Bruno Fornaroli, as wily as ever at 37, ghosted off Pijnaker's shoulder and was played onside by a lagging Francis de Vries. That was all the invitation he needed, and suddenly, Victory were in front. Auckland struggled to create meaningful chances, but they did still manage to get the ball in the net. Logan Rogerson, so often the scorer of crucial goals this season, nodded home at the back post after Guillermo May's looping cross. However, the whistle blew, referee Alex King and his fellow officials adjudged the ball had gone out of play. Post-game, Steve Corica was right to share his doubts and disappointment at the decision. A video assistant referee check barely lasted a few seconds, and in their haste, the officials may have got this one wrong. Even when Melbourne did gift Auckland a chance, goalkeeper Jack Duncan spilling a hail mary cross onto the outstretched limb of an advanced Pijnaker, his effort was scrambled off the goal-line. Sometimes, in football, your luck is just out. And who knew that it had actually started a week earlier at AAMI Park, when Neyder Moreno's late effort ricocheted between both posts before squirming away from goal? Auckland thank their fans. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Auckland's misfortune is not to downplay Melbourne Victory's deserved triumph. Fortune favours the bold, and much like his brave turtleneck fashion choice, Victory head coach Arthur Diles' daring formation paid off. The visitors started with five attackers, including the mercurial Fornaroli. Diles went all in, and got his and his team's just rewards. As for Auckland, they have undoubtedly had their share of luck this season. A team doesn't score as many late goals as they have without the ball bouncing their way now and again. But when it mattered most, lady luck deserted them, which, as reasons for falling short of a dream debut double go, is about as good an excuse as you can get. In other football news: Chris Wood will not be playing Champions League football with Nottingham Forest next season. They needed to beat Chelsea on the final day to have any chance of making it into the top five but a 1-0 loss condemned them to seventh position. The kicker, Aston Villa and Newcastle United lost, meaning a Forest win would have seen them finish fourth. Instead, the UEFA Conference League awaits the All Whites captain. Speaking of the All Whites, Darren Bazeley announced his squad for upcoming friendlies against the Ivory Coast (June 8) and Ukraine (June 11). There are recalls for Ben Old, Finn Surman, Bill Tuiloma, Callan Elliot and Nik Tzanev. Sam Sutton has officially joined Perth Glory from the Wellington Phoenix. He's not the only one out the door this week. Nearly the entire backroom team, including assistant coach Adam Griffiths, are goneburger after a massive internal reshuffle. Sunderland will be joining Leeds United and Burnley in the Premier League next season after a dramatic 2-1 win over Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final. They will hope to fare better than recently promoted sides. None of the past six to be promoted have survived their first season while 10 of the last 15 have suffered the same fate.
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
A-League: Auckland FC's heads up play stands out
Auckland FC's Logan Rogerson scores. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / 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 / 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.
RNZ News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
A-League: Auckland FC's heads up play
Auckland FC's Logan Rogerson scores. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / 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 / 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.
RNZ News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Fully fit: Auckland FC focus on mind and body in the A-League
Nando Pijnaker of Auckland FC Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Auckland FC players are physically fitter and mentally sharper than many have ever been in their careers ahead of the A-League semi-finals. For many players in the Auckland squad, finals football is not something they have played a lot of and coach Steve Corica , who has played and coached in the A-League playoffs, knows nerves could be a factor when they kick-off their home and away semi-finals series against Melbourne Victory on Saturday. Corica has a winning mindset that he has not backed away from all season and he will not change for it the club's next challenge. "I don't like going in just for a draw, for instance. That's not my mindset. My mindset is always to win every game." To help the players have the same level of confidence as Corica, they have been working with a mindset coach all season. Defender Nando Pijnaker has never played finals football like he will over the next few weekends. He said the mindset coach has helped him, and the rest of the team, refocus after winning the Premiers Plate and turn their attention to what they will need to do next to win more silverware. "We've been speaking a lot with him to kind of get back grounded. Everything resets in these games back to zero. We have to make sure that we turn up for both the games and we're obviously going to be very positive and confident going into them, but we really want to win the games." Auckland FC's Louis Verstraete and Melbourne Victory's Kasey Bos. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / For Belgian midfielder Louis Verstraete this is the second time in his professional career, that spans nearly a decade, that he is playing in a team that can win trophies. Verstraete played for three different clubs in Belgium before joining Auckland and has never worked with a mental skills coach in the capacity that he has this season. "We do it a bit more often than in my previous teams. This always helps to reflect and to let go of the highs when we won it, and then to come back to neutral and work again, so that has been beneficial for me as well." The mental strength work runs alongside a "challenging" physical training programme. Even before a ball was in kicked competition this season, Auckland FC vice-captain Tommy Smith declared "the preseason was the hardest I've ever had across my career". Smith, who had previously played in England and America, credited the club's head of performance and medical Elias Boukarim and his staff for how fit the squad were going into the first season. Tommy Smith of Auckland FC. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ The team's fitness and attitude was said to be behind their ability to score goals very late in games, and to keep the longest unbeaten streak (14 games) of any side this season. Corica was asked several times near the back end of the regular season if his side still had "gas in the tank". He believed they did. Auckland had one major long-term injury this season, defender Dan Hall broke his ankle in training in December and was sidelined for months but has come back into the starting side. Heading into the semi-finals Corica said intensity had stepped up at training and, with what he said was a fully fit squad ahead of Saturday's game, he had a few tough decisions to make. "Going into the finals everyone wants to play, it's a time of year that everyone wants to be involved in." He said players' contributions in games throughout the season, on the training pitch, and having players who could make an impact off the bench would factor into his game day squad. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
29-04-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
From Knights to Kings - 7 key moments that brought Auckland FC A-League glory
Auckland FC Manager Steve Corica and Hiroki Sakai of Auckland FC with the A-League Plate Trophy, 2025. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Analysis: From Kingz to Knights, to exiles, to Knights again - and now, Kings once more - it's been quite the journey for Auckland FC. After a history of failed professional football ventures in New Zealand's largest city, the Black Knights have stunned everyone by claiming the Premier's Plate in their very first season. It's an ascension to the throne even George R.R. Martin couldn't have imagined. But this is no fairytale. There are no dragons here, only perhaps a slain Phoenix. So, on the pitch, what were the key moments that led to Sunday's coronation at Mount Smart? Auckland FC's Nando Pijnaker scores and celebrates. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / With all due respect to Brisbane Roar, Auckland's opening-day win over the Queenslanders was almost expected. Roared on by their new fanbase, a debut victory felt inevitable against a side that has since gone on to struggle. But when centre-back Nando Pijnaker improvised a backheel beyond the goal-line of Sydney's viral goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne, it suddenly felt very real - this Auckland side had something about them. They had just beaten the league's most successful team, and in dramatic fashion. It was still early days, but a statement had been made. A-League - Wellington Phoenix v Auckland FC at Sky Stadium, Wellington. Photo: Masanori Udagawa/Photosport The first Kiwi Clasico was dragging towards a hard-fought but anticlimactic 0-0 draw when goalkeeper Joshua Oluwayemi's moment of madness gifted Jake Brimmer the chance to open the scoring. Brimmer would strike again minutes later as the Black Knights claimed bragging rights at Sky Stadium. It set the tone for the rivalry between New Zealand's two sides, with Auckland winning 2-1 in their next meeting, before that now-infamous 6-1 hammering in February. But that first win showed Auckland could match, and beat, their more established domestic rivals. Auckland FC fans and supporters celebrate a goal by Neyder Moreno. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ For the first time in their history, Auckland found themselves trailing, and against a Melbourne City side who would go on to become their biggest challengers. After levelling the scores, a calamitous second goal for City had Auckland staring down the barrel of their first A-League defeat. That was until Neyder Moreno's 90th-minute free-kick proved too hot to handle for Patrick Beach. It set a blueprint for the 'Late Knights', who would go on to score crucial last-minute goals against Adelaide United and Western Sydney in the weeks that followed. Take away the goals scored in second-half stoppage time, and Auckland would be nine points worse off this season, sitting on 44 points, level with Western United in third. Moments like Moreno's proved decisive. William Gillion of Auckland FC controls the ball during the round 10 A-League Men match between Central Coast Mariners and Auckland FC at Industree Group Stadium, on 28 December 2024, in Gosford, Australia. Photo: Scott Gardiner / Getty Images Just one week after suffering their first defeat of the season, an unceremonious, bubble-bursting 4-0 home loss to Western United, the Black Knights dusted themselves off and swept aside the team they would eventually replace as Premiers. The 4-1 win over the Central Coast Mariners proved they could recover from setbacks, a resilience underlined by a 14-game unbeaten streak following their only other loss, a 1-0 reverse at Perth Glory. Guillermo May of Auckland FC Photo: AAP / Guillermo May's piledriver from range and Max Mata's tap-in earned a revenge win over fellow title challengers Western United at the end of a blustery first half in Victoria. The threat of a shift in the title race was blown away, as Auckland rubber stamped their championship credentials. Auckland FC's Alex Paulsen and Max Mata and Cam Howieson. Photo: Photosport Not that one. Yes, Alex Paulsen did make a world-class save on the way to a crucial 2-0 win over Melbourne Victory, but his penalty save against the Jets might have been even more important. Auckland were rocking against an in-form side before Paulsen kept out Kostas Grozos' effort from 12 yards. Jesse Randall went on to equalise shortly after, but had Auckland lost this game, their rivals would have been ready to pounce. Auckland FC coach Steve Corica Photo: PHOTOSPORT Trailing 2-0 to a pair of Adrian Segecic wondergoals, Steve Corica's men produced one of their best performances of the season to fight back and claim a vital 2-2 draw at their head coach's old stomping ground. In truth, they should have won, in what might well have been the best game of the A-League season. It was a performance that showed all the hallmarks of champions, something Auckland became just two weeks later. In other football news: Wellington Phoenix's A-League season is petering out after a 1-0 loss to fellow strugglers Brisbane Roar. Giancarlo Italiano will rightly get an opportunity to rebuild the team for next season after being given a new deal. Two players who won't be with him are Sam Sutton and Scott Wootton, who seem bound for Perth Glory. There will be no FA Cup final for Chris Wood. His Nottingham Forest side were bested 2-0 by Manchester City. Last season's runners-up will face Crystal Palace in the final, after the Eagles hammered Aston Villa in the other semi-final. Liverpool are Premier League champions. A 5-1 romp over Spurs secured the trophy in front of an impassioned Anfield fanbase - just rewards for supporters, who missed out on such celebrations in their last Premier League win during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Ipswich Town have been relegated from the Premier League following a heavy defeat to Newcastle United. It means, for the second season in a row, all three promoted sides have been relegated straight back to the second tier.
