Auckland have had a dream weekend, with their second team following up on their premier side’s A-League title win with victory in the inaugural Oceania FC Pro-League final at Eden Park.<\/p>\n
They beat South Melbourne 2-1 in the finale of the competition, set up by FIFA to build a meaningful competition in Oceania.<\/p>\n
The game was played just hours after a parade in Auckland to welcome home the first team, who beat Sydney FC 1-0 to claim their first A-League title in just their second year in the competition.<\/p>\n
South Melbourne had already qualified for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup later this year, with Auckland also getting the nod after making the final.<\/p>\n
Norwegian Daniel Normann scored a brilliant goal 24 minutes into the match, while Matt Ellis doubled the lead in the 72nd minute.<\/p>\n
But it was not over and with one minute of the seven minutes added Yuki Uchida headed in a goal for South Melbourne. The Aucklanders though held their nerve for the final 60 seconds and the joy was evident when the final whistle was blown.<\/p>\n
It had been a close match-up, with both teams having a win apiece and a draw in their clashes this season.<\/p>\n
But Auckland FC were sharper on attack, with Normann looping one in after Reid Drake’s corner was punched by South Melbourne goalie Javier Diaz Lopez into his line of fire.<\/p>\n
They had other chances, but so did South Melbourne in the first half.<\/p>\n
Ellis took his chance in the second half, when he drove the ball, and Lopez was caught out, the ball slotting through his legs into the net.<\/p>\n