Auckland City FC are OFC champions for 11th time

Auckland City scored in extra time through Ryan De Vries.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Auckland City FC have won a record 11th OFC champions league final in Port Vila but they needed extra time to beat Suva FC 4-2.

Auckland City led 2-nil at half-time and it looked like the result was a foregone conclusion with the Fiji club side also grappling with injuries.

But Suva FC, who were spurred on by the Vanuatu crowd, equalised and the game went into extra-time with the scores locked 2-2.

Both teams finished with 10 men courtesy of red cards.

Auckland City scored in extra time and Ryan De Vries, who had an impressive game off the bench, added another just before the final whistle.

The win means Auckland will go to another FIFA Club World Cup – the pinnacle of club competition.

Auckland captain Cam Howieson, who was the player of the match, was lost for words.

“On the back of the semi final, we had to dig deep in that game and we’ve had to do another 120 minutes.

“This team just never gives up even when our backs are against the wall and some things don’t go our way we find this extra push to keep going,” Howieson said.

“It’s collective, it’s players stepping up that haven’t even touched the grass in this whole tournament, they’ve stepped up it’s been altogether from the very start and it just feels really good after all the work we’ve put in.”