UC Football will play in next year’s Southern League after needing penalties to win a tense promotion play-off against Roslyn Wakari.
Playing at English Park, Christchurch, the two sides could not find the net in 90 minutes, nor in extra time.
In the tie-breaking shootout, UC Football kept their nerve to win 6-5, ensuring they will replace relegated FC Twenty 11 in next year’s Southern League.
Main photo: The celebrations begin. Photo credit: UC Football social media.
UC Football qualified for the play-off series by winning the New World Premiership.
They then had to overcome FC Nelson, the Nelson Pine Premier League champions, in a two-legged tie, winning 3-0 on home turf to seal a 5-3 win on aggregate after losing 3-2 in the first leg.
For Otago’s Roslyn Wakari, the shootout ended a season of near misses.
They finished runners-up in the Men’s Southern Premiership (but qualified for the play-offs when winners Mosgiel declined the opportunity), and were the lowest-ranking team to reach the last eight of the Chatham Cup.
They succumbed to Central League side Waterside Karori in the cup quarter-final.
Results
First leg
Game played on Saturday September 23, 2023
Roslyn Wakari 2 (Simbarashe Muwunganirwa 7′, Nathan Wilkie 79′)
UC Football 2 (Charlie Bayly 15′, Stuart Campbell 62′)
Second leg
Game played on Saturday September 30, 2023
UC Football 0
Roslyn Wakari 0
*UC Football won penalty shootout 6-5 after extra time
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