Switch flipped on semifinal dreams

Otago University and Auckland City players stand in a pool of light after the lights at Logan Park went out less than a minute after kickoff of their Chatham Cup match on Saturday night. Seconds after this photograph was taken the ground was plunged into complete darkness and players and officials left the pitch. PHOTOS: GERARD O'BRIEN

Auckland City won 5-1 at Logan Park on Saturday to advance to the semifinals.

The game was barely a minute old when an internet outage caused the automated floodlights to turn off at Logan Park.

After a 45-minute delay, the game resumed and with the backing of a large vocal group of students, University broke forward and had the first opportunity but shot over the bar.

The students’ defence, led admirably by Ben Campbell and Flynn Crocker, limited Auckland’s attacking threat and it took until the 34th minute before Angus Kilkolly opened the scoring with a strong shot inside the box.

Auckland were awarded a free kick 21m out and Tong Zhou’s fiercely driven free kick was superbly saved by goalie Oscar Ekdahl, who a week earlier was playing at Fletcher Cup level.

From the next corner, after a melee in the box, Derek Tieku scrambled it over the line in the 41st minute.

The students scored the goal of the game in first half stoppage time when Liam Buyck found space, and with the defence sitting off, he strode forward and unleashed a shot that gave keeper Areya Prasad no chance.

Otago University footballers huddle in the dark.

Kilkolly turned killjoy when he volleyed home from close range six minutes after the restart making it 3-1.

He was denied his hat-trick five minutes later with Ekdahl pulling off a superb save.

University coach Rob Mitchell rang the changes with four substitutes being introduced, including Regan Quirke, who showed his intent in chasing down every loose ball and constantly harassing the defence.

He got a good shot which was deflected for a corner, and ended with Flynn Crockers powerful downward header being well-saved by Prasad.

Fellow substitute Alex Dale came close when his chipped effort just went wide on 75 minutes.

University continued to search for another goal and this left space at the back, which Kilkolly exploited in the 87th minute and in the last minute Zhou’s in-swinging corner took a touch off the unfortunate Milo McBride and was credited as an own goal.

In the other Chatham Cup quarterfinals, Wellington Olympic beat Manurewa 4-0, Coastal Spirit overcame Hibiscus Coast 6-5 on penalties and Birkenhead United beat Napier City Rovers 2-1.

By Neville Watson