Auckland FC beat Melbourne City 3-1 in A-League opener
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Auckland FC beat Melbourne City 3-1 on Saturday, October 17. The game opened the new A-League season at Go Media Stadium in Auckland.
- New signing Lachlan Bayliss scored twice in his first game for the club. Lachlan Brook added the third goal late in the game.
- Auckland are the defending champions. The win keeps their perfect record in season openers alive.
Auckland FC beat Melbourne City 3-1 on Saturday. The game took place at Go Media Stadium in Auckland. It was the first game of the new A-League season.
Lachlan Bayliss scored twice for Auckland. It was his first game for the club. Lachlan Brook scored the third goal late in the game.
The A-League is the top football league in Australia and New Zealand. Auckland are the defending champions. They won the title last season.
Now they have started the new season with a win.
What happened
Auckland started the game at home. The stadium was full of fans. A crowd of 20,635 people watched the game, according to Friends of Football.
The home team had a new coach. Pedro Moreira took charge of his first game. He replaced Steve Corica as coach.
Corica moved to Yokohama F Marinos in Japan, according to AAP. Auckland also had new players. Bayliss was one of them.
He joined from the Newcastle Jets in the off-season. The club picked him to start the game. Bayliss made a fast start.
He scored the first goal in the 35th minute. He hit the ball from about 35 metres out. The Melbourne City goalkeeper was off his line.
The ball flew over him and into the net. A goal from that far out is rare. It gave Auckland a 1-0 lead.
The crowd went wild.
But Melbourne City hit back fast. Quinn MacNicol scored in the 42nd minute. He made the score 1-1.
The two teams went into half-time level. Half-time is the short break in the middle of a game. Both teams rest and plan.
The score was level at the break.
Auckland came out strong after the break. Bayliss scored again in the 53rd minute. He hit a left-footed shot into the net.
Auckland led 2-1.
Two goals in one game is called a brace. Bayliss got a brace on his debut. A debut is a first game for a new club.
Melbourne City tried to fight back. They had more of the ball. City had 56% of possession, according to Friends of Football.
Possession means time with the ball. City also took 14 shots. Auckland took only 10 shots.
But Auckland used their chances better. Brook scored the third goal in the 85th minute. He cut inside and curled a shot into the net.
That goal sealed the win. The final score was Auckland FC 3, Melbourne City 1.
Why it matters
This win was a big statement. Auckland lost key players in the off-season. They also lost their old coach.
Many fans were unsure about the new team.
The win answered those doubts. The new coach won his first game. The new signing scored twice.
The team showed it can still win big games.
The result also kept a proud record alive. Auckland have never lost a season opener.
They are now unbeaten in round one. This covers all three seasons of their history, according to AAP.
Auckland won their first opener 2-1 against Brisbane Roar. They drew 0-0 with Melbourne Victory last season, according to Auckland FC.
The win was also sweet because of last season. Auckland knocked Melbourne City out of the finals last season. The two teams met again at the same stadium.
Auckland won again.
City have now lost all four trips to this stadium. The total score across those four games is 10-2 to Auckland, according to AAP.
For Bayliss, the game was a dream start. Bayliss spoke to Sky Sport after the game. He said Moreira told him to make a name for himself, according to AAP.
"I relish the challenge to have to perform and contribute," Bayliss said.
"I'm glad I was able to show that on the first day."
City will feel the loss. They had more of the ball and more shots. But they made errors.
Auckland punished those errors.
City attacker Andrew Nabbout said Auckland punished City's errors. He called Auckland a good side and champions for a reason, according to AAP.
Home teams have won big in other games this week. Arsenal beat Lille 3-0 in the Champions League. Atlanta United beat Montreal 3-0 in their own league.
Birmingham City also won big at home. Birmingham City beat Preston 4-0 in their league game.
What happens next
Auckland will travel to face Western Sydney next week. The team is called the Wanderers. Auckland will try to win again on the road.
A win on the road is harder. The other team's fans fill the stadium. Auckland must stay sharp.
Melbourne City will play the Melbourne derby next week. A derby is a game between two teams from the same city. City will face Melbourne Victory.
They will want to bounce back fast.
Bayliss will be one to watch. He scored twice on his debut. Fans will expect more goals from him.
He must now show he can do it every week.
Brook will also feel good. His late goal sealed the win. He showed he can score big goals in big moments.
The season is long. One win does not win the title. But Auckland have made the best start.
They have three points on the board. They have a new hero in Bayliss. And they have sent a clear message to the rest of the league.
Auckland started the season with questions. They ended the first game with answers. The champions are back.
They look ready to fight for the title again.
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