Auckland FC vs. Newcastle Jets FC
1 January 2026 – Go Media Stadium (Attendance: 16,156)
Half Time: 1-2
Full Time: 1-3
⚽️ 7′ Lachlan Rose (Newcastle Jets FC)
⚽️ 13′ Jesse Randall (Auckland FC)
⚽️ 16′ Will Dobson (Newcastle Jets FC)
⚽️ 90+6′ Lachlan Rose (Newcastle Jets FC)
There were three goals in the first 16 minutes. Lachlan Rose with the first goal in the 7th minute proving that he ISN’T a Temu Haaland despite what the crowd shouts out. Randall’s goal in the 13th minute was a stunner from a free kick that snuck into the lower left corner near the post. In the 16th minute Will Dobson scored having come on as an injury replacement 10 minutes earlier.
In the 21st minute, Max Cooper (Newcastle Jets) got his second yellow card so was sent off, leaving his team with only 10 players for the rest of the match. However, as we’ve seen in other matches this season, having 10 players doesn’t necessarily mean it will be easier for the opposing team to score. Auckland FC had loads more possession for the rest of the game (71% total) but they couldn’t seem to break the scoreline, even after 23 shots on goal. We noticed Auckland FC spamming a lot of crosses into the middle of the box, probably hoping Cosgrove would connect a header … but it never seemed to eventuate. Of the 59 crosses only 29% were successful. I personally would have liked to have seen more cut backs or anything else. If you always do the same thing that doesn’t work, you’ll always get the same results … nothing.
The final nail in the coffin was Rose’s goal in extra time. It came about after Woud (the Auckland FC Goalkeeper) went up to the other goal box to help out during a corner in the final seconds of the match. Of course Newcastle came away with the ball and after a mad rush (of tired legs), Lachlan Rose scored into the empty goal. At first it appeared disallowed because of offside by after a VAR check, it was given.
On a side note, this is the first time the teams have met in Auckland without it raining … so weather can’t be used as an excuse for the loss. The general consensus was that Auckland FC seemed lacking or uninspired today. What do you think?
Something positive, there were over 16,000 people in the stands (half of them probably hungover from the celebrations the night before) … not bad for New Year’s Day.
