Waiheke are Northern Conference champions after a remarkable 5–2 home victory over title rivals Waitematā on Saturday. Going into the last match of the season, the men in red trailed league leaders Waitematā by two points but knew that a win would bring the crown back to the island. The stakes couldn’t be higher and a bumper home crowd packed the hill and sidelines to urge their heroes over the line in this must-win title showdown.
Flares, raucous drumming and chanting created an unforgettable atmosphere and there were also fireworks on the pitch as Waiheke hit hard from the opening whistle. The hosts’ fast footwork and aggressive tackling rocked Waitematā and in the third minute tricky winger Nico Vanina was inches away from giving Waiheke a sensational start with a powerful low drive from the top of the box. Waiheke were running Waitematā ragged and in the seventh minute captain Cabe Llunes brought the large home crowd to their feet when he deftly nodded home a whipped Claudio Amad corner. Barely two minutes later Ale Villasana doubled Waiheke’s delight with an instinctive finish from a furious goalmouth scramble.
• Carl Grimmer
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© Waiheke Gulf News Ltd 2024
