A double on his debut for the club by Lachlan Bayliss helped Auckland FC get their A-League title defence off to a winning start, as they defeated Melbourne City 3-1 at Mt Smart.

All Whites midfielder Lachlan Bayliss will come back from the FIFA World Cup duty to a new A-League team.

The All Whites squad for the team’s final home games ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, against Finland and Chile, has been named, with Lachlan Bayliss earning his debut call-up.