Auckland FC win NZ Derby over Phoenix
- editor59343
- Dec 7, 2025
- 1 min read
Auckland FC have won the New Zealand Derby once again, having overrun a gallant Wellington Phoenix to win 3-1 at Go Media Stadium in front of over 20,000 fans.
Auckland took an early lead through Lachlan Brook and looked set to cruise to their fifth derby win from five games when Phoenix defender Manjrekar James was sent off for a challenge on Auckland striker Sam Cosgrove just 25 seconds into the second half.
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But a stunning equaliser from Phoenix captain Alex Rufer set up a grandstand finish. The goalkeeping heroics of Josh Oluwayemi kept Wellington in the contest with the Englishman saving not one, but two penalties – firstly to deny Cosgrove, and then Francis De Vries.
But, having been thwarted from the spot with Auckland’s second of two penalties in the second half, De Vries pounced on the rebound from Oluwayemi’s spot-kick save to tap home Auckland’s second goal of the game.
Having finally breached the superb Oluwayemi’s guard for a second time, Auckland turned to substitute Guillermo May to make it 3-1 late in the contest to confirm all three points against a resilient 10-man Phoenix.
Saturday’s 3-1 win was Auckland’s fifth in the New Zealand Derby and takes them to the top of the A-League points table.
