Gold Coast Knights FC vs. Auckland FC

In the round of 32 in the 2025 Australia Cup, two bands of knights confronted each other.

The Black Knights of Auckland FC vs. the Gold Coast Knights.

This is the first time Auckland FC had played in the Australia Cup.

On Wednesday night (25 June) the official draw was made for the Australia Cup to see which teams will play against each other in the Cup’s Round of 32. The dates and match times were announced on Tuesday (1 July).

⚽️ Gold Coast Knights vs. Auckland FC ⚽️
🗓️ Tuesday 29 July 2025
⏰ 9.30 NZT (7.30 AEST)

Since the two New Zealand A-League teams will always play their match in Australia, the Gold Coast Knights have the home advantage at the Gold Coast Croatia Sports Centre, in Carrara, about 15 minutes west of Surfers Paradise in Queensland.

Gold Coast Knights vs. Auckland FC Summary

Auckland FC had a perfect start with Jesse Randall scoring the opening goal in the first 40 seconds after a great cross from Hiroki Sakai. That quickly put a dampener on things for the home team. But the goals didn’t stop there. In the 19th Minute Logan Rogerson struck the ball that just crossed the goal line despite a defender almost keeping it out. in the 36th minute there was a bit of a goal area scramble that Guillermo May took advantage of to score the third goal of the match. At half-time Auckland FC were leading 3-0. Gold Coast Knights came out with more fight in the second half with Michael Woud having to make a number of saves. One of the GC Knights kicks even come off the crossbar. In the 60th minute, Liam Gillion and Jake Brimmer came off the bench replacing Cam Howieson and Marlee François. In the 70th minute Liam Gillion scored a GOLAZO from outside the box into the top right corner. For me, it was the best goal of the match. Note, this was Liam Gillion’s first ever goal for Auckland FC in a competitive match.

Goal Scorers:

⚽️ 1′ Jesse Randal (Auckland FC)
⚽️ 19′ Logan Rogerson (Auckland FC)
⚽️ 36′ Guillermo May (Auckland FC)
⚽️ 70′ Liam Gillion (Auckland FC)

Final Score: Gold Coast Knights 0 – Auckland FC 4

Gold Coast Knights vs. Auckland FC Match Replay

Gold Coast Knights FC Overview

Founded: Formed in 1978 by Croatian migrants in the Gold Coast region.

Home Ground: Gold Coast Croatia Sports Centre, Carrara, Queensland.

Colours: Red, white, and blue, reflecting the club’s Croatian heritage.

Nickname: Knights (since 1999)

Cultural Significance: The club has strong ties to the Croatian community in Queensland, with the name and emblem inspired by Croatian heritage. The motto “Idemo Zajedno” translates to “Let’s Go Together” in Croatian.

A Legacy of Excellence in Queensland Football

Since joining Queensland’s National Premier League (NPL) in 2019, the Gold Coast Knights FC Senior Men’s Team has been a dominant force in the state’s top-tier football competition. The NPL season, running from February to September, features 22 home and away matches, culminating in the thrilling finals series in September.

The Knights have achieved remarkable success in the NPL, clinching the Queensland Championship in 2019, 2022, and 2023. The club also secured the NPL Premiership as runners-up in 2022 and claimed the top spot as Premiership winners in 2023. Their NPL Under 23 Men’s team mirrored this success, capturing both the 2023 NPL U23 Premiership and Championship.