Wellington Olympic and Auckland City FC both took care of business at home, winning their last matches and securing their places in next Saturday’s Grand Final, which will be played at Newtown Park, Wellington, at 6:00PM.

Olympic faced the toughest assignment of the round: a clash with league leaders Miramar Rangers, where anything short of a win could have easily left them out of the final. The home side struck early through Jack-Henry Sinclair in the ninth minute, but Miramar hit back with a brilliant free-kick from Ronaldo Muñoz. Moments before halftime, Justin Gulley was sent off, leaving Olympic down to ten men for the entire second half.

What looked like a mountain to climb turned into one of their best moments of the season. Despite the disadvantage, Tor Davenport Petersen restored the lead in the 72nd minute, and Olympic held firm until the final whistle. The win not only secured top spot on the table but also sent them back into the Dettol National League final after missing out last year.

Meanwhile, Auckland City FC began the day in third but with the top two sides playing each other, they knew a win would send them through to the final. Facing bottom-placed Coastal Spirit at Kiwitea Street, the Navy Blues controlled the match but couldn’t break through before halftime.

Twelve minutes into the second half, captain Mario Illich opened the scoring and from there City pushed on. Goals from Christian Gray and Myer Bevan sealed a 3-0 victory and the second spot in the final. It was a strong turnaround for Paul Posa’s side, who struggled early in the season but found momentum when it mattered most.

This will be the third meeting between Auckland City FC and Wellington Olympic in a Dettol National League final. Each team has won one:

- City took the 2022 final 3-2

- Olympic lifted the trophy in 2023 with a 2-0 win

So who claims the title in the trilogy?

Wellington Olympic will host the final after finishing first in the standings. The match will be played on Saturday, 13 December at 6:00PM at Newtown Park.

You can catch the Grand Final live and free on FIFA+.

Article added: Sunday 07 December 2025