Auckland FC’s unbeaten start ends with loss to Newcastle Jets as waterlogged pitch makes for farcical scenes
Sunday, 30 November 2025
At Go Media Stadium, Auckland: Newcastle Jets 2 (Will Dobson 3’, Lachlan Rose 41’) Auckland FC 1 (Louis Verstraete 14’) HT: 1-2
Auckland FC’s unbeaten start to the A-League Men season came to an end on Sunday against the Newcastle Jets, in a match where heavy rain made for a farcical final 20 minutes.
All three goals in last-placed Newcastle’s 2-1 win were scored in the first half, where conditions remained relatively dry.
Things changed after the break as forecast heavy downpours arrived and the closing stages of the contest were somewhat of a joke, with the ball often getting stuck on a waterlogged surface.
The only saving grace was that none of those moments had a say in the final result, in front of a crowd of 10,387 at Go Media Stadium in Auckland.
While the finish was messy in the extreme, the Jets were worthy winners, impressing despite starting the day nine places below third-placed Auckland on the ladder.
Auckland had been eager for an improved showing after receiving a blast from Corica following last weekend's 1-1 home draw with Brisbane Roar.
They suffered a setback when striker Guillermo May was ruled out with a knee injury picked up in training on Friday.
They suffered a further setback early on Sunday when the Jets took the lead just three minutes in, on a warm, but wet afternoon in Penrose.
Auckland striker Sam Cosgrove had Lachlan Brook wide open in the box to cross to, but only sent a scuffed ball in which was easily picked off by Daniel Wilmering.
As Newcastle played calmly out from the back, Wilmering got the ball back in an advanced position on the left, where he crossed for Lachlan Rose.
Dan Hall got in the path of the initial ball, but it rebounded into space where 18-year-old Will Dobson was on hand to smash it past Auckland goalkeeper Michael Woud, just 20 seconds after his side could have been 1-0 down.
It took Auckland just 11 minutes to draw level – in classic Auckland fashion.
Francis de Vries crossed from the left and found Cosgrove, who headed the ball down into the path of Louis Verstraete. After taking a touch, the Belgian midfielder blasted his shot past James Delianov in the Jets' goal, restoring parity.
Auckland should really have taken the lead from there, with Jesse Randall going close twice – the first time after controlling a raking pass from Jake Brimmer with a deft touch and Lachlan Brook also having a couple of shots blocked – one from a free kick in a similar position to the one he scored from last Sunday.
Woud was called upon in the 26th minute to get down and deny Max Burgess while Hall reacted sharply to ensure Xavier Bertoncello's attempted follow-up was mis-hit.
The Jets took the lead a second time on the verge of halftime, when Alexander Badolato's pass to Rose on the edge of the box took a deflection as three Auckland defenders stepped forward to challenge him and fell safely into the striker's path, giving him an easy one-on-one finish past Woud.
Auckland goalkeeping coach Jonathan Gould was apoplectic on the sideline, believing his side should have had a throw-in in the lead-up, when Joel Bertolissio's initial throw-in was played back to him on the line, forcing him to leap to head the ball and keep it in play. Auckland were shown a yellow card as a result of Gould's protestations.
The rain grew heavier during the break and Randall hit the crossbar shortly after play resumed, having been played in down the left by Cosgrove, while Hall had to block an attempt by Rose on the right at the other end.
Woud had to be alert to deny Dobson when he got in behind just before the hour mark, and to come forward and deny substitute Clayton Taylor just after it, though he was fortunate the ball then rebounded off Taylor for a goal kick, rather than across the line.
Auckland substitute Liam Gillion called Delianov into some rare action with a left-footed shot straight at him that was palmed away, while Dobson met a cross from Wilmering and sent the ball over the crossbar when the goal was at his mercy.
Ball movement was becoming tricky on an increasingly sodden pitch and there was a sense a mistake could prove crucial. The bounce of the ball fell Randall’s way on one occasion, but he sent a shot wide to the left, as Auckland began to dominate possession.
Woud had to come off his line to deny Taylor as he tried to seize upon a back-pass that slowed up and as multiple players went to ground in the Auckland box, it became clear it was the most-sodden area of the pitch.
In the 83rd minute, there was a brief stoppage where it appeared play might be halted, but after a chat with both captains, referee Alireza Faghani waved play on, even as scenes grew more and more farcical.
Delianov denied Cosgrove after Woud booted a long ball forward while Nando Pijnaker replaced fellow centre back Dan Hall – then went up front, as six minutes of additional time were called for.
What they said
Steve Corica (Auckland FC coach): “It it is what it is with the with the weather. You can’t know what’s going to happen. Performance-wise, chances-wise, we created a lot of chances … we didn’t take our chances, and sometimes football comes down to that. They took their two chances. They’re a quick team out of the blocks. They score early goals. Unfortunately, we conceded one of them. That’s pretty disappointing, from my point of view, that we spoke about it, and then we concede after three minutes. That makes it difficult. Obviously, we got back into the game, and then we conceded another goal just before halftime”.
Mark Milligan (Newcastle Jets coach): “It’s the match commissioner and the referee that ultimately made that decision (not to halt the match). It’s a long way to come for eight minutes [if a restart on another day was needed]. It was the same for both teams. I don’t know if it was puddling up in in our goal box like it was in theirs, because we got the ball stuck there around the edge of their box a few times. If I look at (the game) as a whole, I’m happy with the attitude the boys showed, and that goes as well for when those conditions got tough”.
What’s next
Auckland FC host Wellington Phoenix in the second New Zealand derby of the season at Go Media Stadium next Saturday (kickoff 5pm). A first Phoenix win in the fixture will move them level on points with Auckland, seven rounds into the season. This will be the first time the Phoenix have gone into a derby off the back of a better result than Auckland, after their 2-1 win over Adelaide United in the capital on Saturday.