Recap – Auckland FC Makes History

Auckland FC marked their first-ever appearance in the Isuzu UTE A-League with an emphatic 2-0 victory over Brisbane Roar on Saturday afternoon. Playing in front of a sold-out Go Media Stadium, the Auckland side displayed resilience and quality to secure all three points in their highly anticipated debut.

An early own goal from Brisbane’s Harry Van Der Saag, forced by a dangerous cross from Auckland’s Hiroki Sakai, set the tone for the match. The ball found the back of the net in just the eighth minute, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. From there, Auckland FC kept the pressure on, while maintaining a solid defensive shape to protect their lead.

Brisbane Roar tried to respond, but Auckland’s goalkeeper, Alex Paulsen, stood firm, making crucial saves to deny Neicer Acosta and Thomas Waddingham. The defensive unit, led by Nando Pijnaker and Tommy Smith, absorbed Brisbane’s attacks, while the midfield, anchored by Belgian standout Louis Verstraete, orchestrated Auckland’s offensive surges.

Verstraete nearly doubled the lead with a thunderous shot that whistled just past the post, while Liam Gillion and Guillermo May came close with chances of their own. Auckland’s persistence finally paid off in the 75th minute, when Logan Rogerson finished off a superb team play. A perfectly timed cross from Francis De Vries found Rogerson at the back post, sealing a deserved 2-0 victory for the home side.

Despite a few late efforts from Brisbane, including a long-range shot from Walid Shour, Auckland FC never looked threatened. The victory sent a strong message to the rest of the league – Auckland FC is here to compete at the highest level.

Match Details:

•   Competition: Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2024/25 – Round 1
•   Result: Auckland FC 2 (Brisbane Roar Own Goal 8’, Logan Rogerson 75’) – Brisbane Roar 0
•   Venue: Go Media Stadium, Auckland
•   Date: Saturday, 19 October

Auckland FC Starting XI:

Hiroki SAKAI, Nando PIJNAKER, Tommy SMITH, Louis VERSTRAETE, Cam HOWIESON, Max MATA, Guillermo MAY, Alex PAULSEN (GK), Liam GILLION, Francis DE VRIES, Jesse RANDALL, Jake BRIMMER, Dan HALL, Logan ROGERSON, Felipe GALLEGOS

Unused Substitutes:

Michael WOUD (GK), Callan ELLIOT, Finn McKENLAY

Tags: Auckland FC, A-League, Brisbane Roar, Logan Rogerson, Hiroki Sakai, Louis Verstraete, Go Media Stadium

Hashtags: #AucklandFC #ALeague #PitchsideHQ #FootballNews #BreakingNews #SoccerVictory #LoganRogerson