The final week in the regular season of the ISPS Handa Premiership takes place this weekend, check out what’s in store with the official preview of Match Week 21.

Eastern Suburbs vs Southern United
Riverhills Park, Auckland
Saturday 16 March, 4pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #ESvSU 

Referee: AM Keighley
Assistant Referees: S Jones, C Tseng
Fourth Official: A Wilson

Squads

Eastern Suburbs: 1. Andrew Withers (GK), 2. Alex Clayton, 3. Kelvin Kalua, 4. Nando Pijnaker, 6. Harry Moss-Edge, 7. Tim Payne, 8. Owen Parker-Price, 9. Callum McCowatt, 10. Andre de Jong, 11. Mohamed Awad, 14. Elijah Just, 16. Dominic Wooldridge, 17. Michael Built, 18. Kingsley Sinclair, 21. Justin Biega (GK), 23. Campbell Strong
Coach: Danny Hay

Southern United: 1. Stewart Catto (GK), 2. Conor O’Keeffe, 3. Rory Findlay, 4. Stephen Last, 5. Erik Panzer, 6. Alexander Cox, 7. Conor McDonald, 8. Sam Pickering, 9. Garbhan Coughlan, 10. Abdulla Al-Kalisy, 11. Ben Deeley, 12. Oliver Colloty, 13. Tim O’Farrell, 16. Liam Little (GK), 18. Markus Fjortfoft
Coach: Paul O’Reilly

Lowdown

With Eastern Suburbs having now booked a home semi-final and Southern United secure as the best of the rest in fifth, there is little riding on the outcome here in terms of the final standings. The main motivation for Suburbs will be to take plenty of confidence into the play-offs on the back of another strong performance while Southern will be keen to underline their superiority over the sides below them by extending the gap between themselves and the likes of Hamilton Wanderers and Hawke’s Bay United.

Tasman United vs Canterbury United 
Match cancelled due to the terrorist attack on Christchurch 

Hamilton Wanderers vs Team Wellington
Porritt Stadium, Hamilton
Sunday 17 March, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #HWvTW

Referee: CK Kawana-Waugh
Assistant Referees: A Lamberth, B Norman
Fourth Official: AM Keighley

Squads

Hamilton Wanderers: 1. Matt Oliver (GK), 5. Stafford Dowling, 6. Agustin Contratti, 8. Brad Whitworth, 10. Martin Maybin, 11. Jordan Shaw, 12. Will Stephen, 13. Tommy Semmy, 14. Steven Salter, 15. Joseph Terry, 16. John Clout, 17. Xavier Pratt, 18. Hamish Smylie, 19. Bayley Foster, 20. Derek Tieku, 23. Jonathan Mannes (GK)
Coach: Ricki Herbert

Team Wellington: 1. Scott Basalaj (GK), 3. Adam Mitchell, 4. Mario Ilich, 6. Taylor Schrijvers, 7. Eric Molloy, 8. Henry Cameron, 10. Nathanael Hailemariam, 11. Bill Robertson, 12. Andrew Bevin, 14. Jack-Henry Sinclair, 15. Joel Stevens, 16. Angus Kilkolly, 17. Alex Palezevic, 18. Aaron Clapham, 19. Ross Allen, 22. Marcel Kampman (GK)
Coach: Jose Figueira

Lowdown

Like Canterbury, Team Wellington have secured a semi-final berth but their final fixture of the regular season retains plenty of significance as they will want to avoid a meeting with Auckland City. If Hamilton Wanderers want to hang on to sixth place, they are likewise likely to need to get something from this game as they are currently locked on points with Hawke’s Bay United, who will be favoured to pick up at least a point against the Wellington Phoenix Reserves.

Quotes

Jose Figueira (Team Wellington coach): “Hamilton have made huge progress this season and had a very strong start. Ricki is beginning to shape a very attacking and energetic team who are able to push any team in the competition on their day. With it being their last game of the season and at home, I am sure they will be eager to finish their regular season on a high note.”

Wellington Phoenix Reserves vs Hawke’s Bay United 
Porirua Park, Wellington 
Sunday 17 March, 2pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #WPvHB

Referee: P Linney
Assistant Referees: M Whitehead, S Reilly
Fourth Official: C Bennett

Squads

Wellington Phoenix Reserves: 1. Zac Jones (GK), 2. Dino Botica, 3. Kurtis Mogg, 4. Boyd Curry, 5. Ronan Wynne, 6. Gianni Stensness, 7. Benjamin Waine, 9. Maximilian Batchelor, 10. Willem Ebbinge, 11. Sam Sutton, 14. Oskar van Hattum, 16. Kieran Richards, 18. Henry Hamilton, 21. Owen Smith, 24. Adam Hillis, 30. Zachary Dean (GK)
Coach: Paul Temple

Hawke’s Bay United: 26. Alexander Britton (GK), 5. Kaeden Atkins, 6. Kenny Willox, 7. Cory Chettleburgh, 8. Paul Ifill, 10. Sho Goto, 11. Maxime Oliveri, 14. Birhanu Taye, 16. Gavin Hoy, 18. Tai Barham, 19. Luis Toomey, 20. Josh Murphy, 21. Harry Mason, 22. Karan Mandair, 23. Jorge Akers
Coach: Brett Angell

Lowdown

Based on their impressive efforts in recent years, Hawke’s Bay United have had a very disappointing campaign and ending with a defeat to the bottom-placed side in the league would sum up their season in many ways. They will be desperate for that not to happen and finish on a high but the Phoenix have the same aim and will be seeking revenge after losing 4-1 to the Bay in their earlier meeting.

Auckland City vs Waitakere United
Kiwitea Street, Auckland 
Sunday 17 March, 4.35pm
#ISPSHandaPrem #ACvWU
Live on SKY Sport

Referee: M Conger
Assistant Referees: A Verolino, L Agnew
Fourth Official: C Trent

Squads

Auckland City: 1. Enaut Zubikarai (GK), 2. Darren White, 5. Angel Berlanga, 7. Cameron Howieson, 8. Albert Riera, 10. Micah Lea’alafa, 11. Fabrizio Tavano, 12. Dylan Manickum, 15. Daniel Morgan, 16. Yousif Ali, 17. Reid Drake, 18. Ruben Parker (GK), 19. David Browne, 20. Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, 21. Maro Bonsu-Maro, 23. Alfie Rogers
Coach: Ramon Tribulietx

Waitakere United: 1. Silvio Rodic (GK), 2. Luke Jorgensen, 3. Niko Steinmetz, 5. Kris Carpenter, 6. Hayden Aish, 7. Oscar Browne, 8. Sam Burfoot, 9. Alex Connor-McClean, 10. Julian Stevenson, 12. Matthew Conroy, 13. Dane Schnell, 15. Ignacio Machuca Maturena, 18. Lachlan McIsaac, 19. Ryan Verney, 20. Oliver Bassett, 22. Nick Draper (GK)
Coach: Chris Milicich

Lowdown

Traditionally, this fixture being played on the final weekend of the regular season would have had a huge bearing on the play-off picture with these teams fighting it out for the title in earlier years. But Waitakere’s stock has fallen dramatically since their last title triumph in 2013 and they will be very much the also-rans against their cross-town rivals this weekend, hoping merely to become the first team to beat Auckland City and dent their confidence ahead of the play-offs. If the Navy Blues can claim a win, they would break the league record for highest-ever points total.

Quotes

Ramon Tribulietx (Auckland City coach): “A Super City derby seems an appropriate way to begin our build-up towards a home play-off. They are always interesting matches regardless of where each team is in the league. It doesn’t mean much in terms of league position but derby matches always throw up unique and tricky challenges and Waitakere will pose a difficult encounter for us.”

Article added: Friday 15 March 2019