United Stay In Contention With Come From Behind Win

Wellington United kept their playoff hopes alive with a come from behind win against Wellington Olympic at Newtown Park on Saturday.

Olympic opened the scoring in the 35th minute when a low cross eluded keeper, Crawford Plenderleith, and United's Gonzalo Amado's attempt at a goal line clearance ended up with the ball in the back of the net.

Coach Guillermo Schiltenwolf made two changes at half time bringing on Cam Stephan and Nacho Junca. This made a difference especially at the back with Stephan putting in a great performance. United pulled a goal back in the 562nd minute when Olympic failed to clear a corner and Abdallah Khaled slotted the ball in to the bottom corner.

Four minutes later they had the lead when Brayan Heredia scored a great individual goal, picking up the ball on the edge of the centre circle and running through to the penalty area and beating Toby Hunt in the Olympic goal. United completed the scoring and the win in the second minute of referees time when Leo Villa played a short corner and his resulting cross was met by Gonzalo Amado at the far post.

United's 3-1 win sees them three points off top spot with a game in hand, although Lower Hutt City in first place have a superior goal difference. However as Lower Hutt City is a reserve team and their first team is in the Central League they are unable to be promoted, meaning that whoever finishes second will get to playoff against Central Region champions, Havelock North Wanderers.

As well as United, Island Bay United, Stop Out and Tawa are all in contention for the playoff spot. United meet Island Bay United this Saturday at Wakefield Park (3:30 KO)

Elsewhere the Diamonds celebrated their W-League championship win with a resounding 6-1 win over Seatoun with Emma Main, Pepi Olliver-Bell, Francesca Grange, Dani Ohlsson, Rosie Wild & Sarah Alder getting on the scoresheet.

The women's reserve team, the Sapphires came extremely close to winning the Women's Capital Premier Division. A 7-1 win over Upper Hutt City and league leaders North Wellington going down 3-1 to Kapiti Coast United meant both teams finished with identical records of 10 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss, both also had goal difference's of +29 meaning the title was decided by goals scored which North Wellington edged with 43 to the Sapphires 39

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