Waitakere's strong finish not enough

A brave finish was ultimately undone by a schoolboy start as Waitakere United went down 1-3 to Asian Champions League runners up Sepahan (IRAN) at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan.

Unbelievably Waitakere conceded two soft goals in side 5 mintues and from that moment many feared the worst. But gradually Waitakere found their rhythm and confidence and began causing Sepahan a few problems.

The second half was barely started when the nightmare returned, this time with a mistake from the normally reliable Simon Eaddy who failed to cover a long range shot and could only divert it into the back of the net.

At 3-0 again people sensed a massacre was on the cards but Waitakere showed they and New Zealand Football are made of sterner stuff with perhaps the best 30 minutes from a purely New Zealand based club side on the international stage.

With Neil Emblen and Benji Totori tireless and brave up front and suddenly new drive and an accurate range of passing from midfield, Waitakere came alive.

They deservedly scored, albeit with the help of the Sepahan keeper and immediately turned to getting a second. The crowd lifted and so did the players in red and white, peppering the Iranians goal.

Bazeley delivered quality crosses, as did Danny Hay and Emblen threw himself at everything. Totori saw one rasping drive go just wide while the keeper made a great save from another. Jonathan Perry’s volley was goal bound until the keeper dived full stretch to tip it around the post.

Danny Hay’s far post header landed on the roof of the goal as Waitakere poured forward in search of a second goal.

It wasn’t to come though and ultimately the players left the pitch bitterly disappointed about the gifting of 3 goals and in the end, any chance of winning the match.

The second half fight back did however show that with more exposure and more experience at this level that Waitakere can compete with the best in Asia and with more game time, it is not unrealistic to think they can beat them.

Head Coach Chris Milicich was a disappointed man.

“I’m not sure what has caused us to start so poorly but we simply let ourselves down through poor concentration and maybe a few nerves. Perhaps there was a case for us being too relaxed before the match but there was no indication of what was to come. Those mistakes are all the more disappointing when you see how we can play in the second half, at times we were battering them with no reward. A second goal with a few minutes left would have made it very interesting. The result is a bitter pill and our defending at those key moments was poor, but the second half rally showed we and Oceania deserve to be on this stage. What we need know is further support and commitment from New Zealand football to gain more exposure at this level. The domestic game must be fostered and exposed to higher levels of the game on a regular basis to allow us to compete. We were our own worst enemies today, but we also showed the potential in this side.”