Navy Blues back on track

Auckland City's ASB Premiership campaign is back on track after a 3-1 win over the Wellington Phoenix at Newtown Park on Sunday.

The Navy Blues dominated most of the match and, but for the superb display by Phoenix goalkeeper Oliver Sail, may well have scored more than one goal in an eventful first half. Ryan De Vries took that honour after 33 minutes when he beat Sail at his near post with a powerful left-foot finish. But Sail made amends on the stroke of halftime when he saved a Joao Moreira penalty kick to keep the Phoenix in the match. Auckland almost scored directly after the restart when Luke Tongue nearly turned a De Vries cross into his own net. Moreira could have added another when De Vries again set him up with a curling cross to the far post that was just out of his reach. Moreira redeemed himself when he teed up All Whites forward Clayton Lewis for a tap in at the far post on 63 minutes but the Phoenix struck back almost straight away. Joel Stevens worked himself into space to set up James McGarry, who pulled one back for the hosts only for Mikel Alvaro to restore Auckland's two-goal advantage ten minutes later with the goal of the match. Alvaro, who has a reputation as a goal-scoring midfielder, benefited from some wonderful link-up play between substitute Emiliano Tade and Micah Lea'alafa before he rounded Sail to finish into an empty net. The win means Auckland stay top of the ASB Premiership with two wins and a draw from their opening three matches. Their next match is against Canterbury United at Kiwitea Street on Sunday 29 November and acts as their final domestic hit out before departing for Japan and the FIFA Club World Cup.