Auckland City are New Zealand’s men’s national club champions again, after needing a penalty shootout to overcome Wellington Olympic in a classic grand final.
The Navy Blues retained their title, winning their third grand final in four years, but had to rely on penalties after the sides were tied 2-2 after extra time.
Main photo: Auckland City … 2025 champions. Photo credit: NZ Football.
For 80 minutes, the match at Wellington’s Newtown Park was a cagey affair, with the Aucklanders having created half-chances through captain Mario Ilich, and strikers David Yoo and Myer Bevan.
Jack-Henry Sinclair had Olympic’s best early efforts, but neither side had imposed themselves on the match.
Substitutions brought the game alive, and the final became a classic.
Matt Ellis heads City into the lead.
In the 81st minute, City substitute Matt Ellis cleverly lost his marker to head home a cross from Haris Zeb.
The Aucklanders drew on their big game experience to try to play out the time.
But Olympic, urged on by an enthusiastic crowd, had different ideas.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Olympic substitute Luke Stoupe got into space at the far post to slot an equaliser, and force the game into an extra half-hour.
Luke Stoupe turns in celebration as he levels for Olympic.
The impressive Isa Prins, who won the Jack Batty Cup for best player in Olympic’s 4-2 Chatham Cup final win against Auckland United in September, put Olympic ahead in the 101st minute.
READ MORE: Wellington Olympic’s Isa Prins adds Jack Batty Cup to season successes >>>>
Prins lashed his shot from a tight angle to score his 20th goal of a breakthrough season.
The celebrations spilled over the advertising hoardings, as Olympic supporters mobbed Prins.
Olympic supporters mob goalscorer Isa Prins after he put his side in front.
The national title now seemed destined to return to the capital.
As extra time entered its own period of stoppage time, Auckland City threw everyone forward for one last desperate attack.
A cross into the box was met by defender Christian Gray, the schoolteacher who sparked global headlines earlier this year when he scored for City against Argentina’s Boca Juniors at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Gray turned the ball into the net to tie up the score 2-2.
Relief and joy for Auckland City after Christian Gray sent the game into extra time.
The penalties
City’s captain Ilich went first but his effort was saved by a diving Scott Basala.
Olympic’s specialist penalty-taker, skipper Ben Mata, stepped up to crash his shot past ‘keeper Nathan Garrow.
City’s Haris Zeb and Olympic’s Prins slotted their spot kicks, giving Olympic a 2-1 lead.
Goalscorer Ellis squeezed his shot just inside the post, despite the outstretched hands of Basalaj. 2-2.
Sam Mason-Smith smashed his shot into the net. 3-2 advantage to Olympic.
Angus Kilkolly levelled for City; Tor Davenport Petersen matched his effort.
City’s Grey made it 4-4 with a coolly taken penalty.
Drama as Alexander Solomon stepped up for Olympic, and shot wide.
The shootout became sudden death.
Nathan Lobo put City ahead 5-4.
John Reynolds belted his shot high into the net to make it 5-5.
Dylan Manickum scored, to keep City’s advantage. 6-5.
Olympic’s Luca Barclay slid his shot inside the post. 6-6.
Nikko Boxall cracks his shot into the top right corner. 7-6.
Olympic’s Alex Davis belted the 16th penalty of the shootout against the crossbar; the ball rebounded to safety.
Auckland City had retained their title.
… some footnotes
While the Navy Blues celebrated their latest success, the match ended Paul Ifill’s successful spell as Olympic’s director of football, following his decision to step down at the end of the season.
READ MORE: It’s all on the line in grand final between arch rivals in men’s National League >>>>
The result also meant City would retain the Mediterranean Cup, the trophy contested between them and Central United, to celebrate the shared heritage of having clubs founded by migrant communities.
Haris Zeb won the Steve Sumner Trophy, awarded for being the final’s Most Valuable Player.
Result
Game played on Saturday December 13, 2025
Wellington Olympic 2 (Luke Stoupe 90+3′, Isa Prins 101′)
Auckland City 2 (Matt Ellis 81′, Christian Gray 120+2′)
*Auckland City won penalties 7-6.
National League champions
The current National League format was introduced in 2021 but the first season was not completed due to the COVID pandemic.
2024: Auckland City
Game played on Sunday December 1, 2024
Birkenhead United 1 (Monty Patterson 23′)
Auckland City 2 (own goal 45′, Angus Kilkolly 110′)
*After extra time
READ MORE: Extra time drama as Auckland City are crowned men’s national champions >>>>
2023: Wellington Olympic
Game played on Sunday November 26, 2023
Wellington Olympic 2 (Kailan Gould 58′, Jack-Henry Sinclair 90+5′)
Auckland City 0
READ MORE: Wellington Olympic are the new national men’s champions >>>>
WATCH: Highlights from Wellington Olympic’s Grand Final win >>>>
2022: Auckland City
Game played on Sunday December 4, 2022
Auckland City 3 (Liam Gillion 33′, Gerard Garriga 40′, Angus Kilkolly 88′)
Wellington Olympic 2 (Tor Davenport Petersen 77′, Ben Mata 90+1′ pen)
READ MORE: Auckland City land historic quadruple after winning five-goal Grand Final >>>>
This story was first published on December 13, 2025.