Auckland FC Beat Melbourne City in Shootout to Reach A-League Semi-Finals

Auckland FC advanced to the A-League semi-finals on Saturday, May 2, 2026, following a penalty shootout victory over Melbourne City in an elimination final at Go Media Stadium, also known as Mt Smart Stadium.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw after regulation and extra time, leading to a shootout that Auckland FC won 7-6. The result ended Melbourne City’s defense of their A-League title and secured Auckland’s place in the next round of the playoffs.

Match Summary and Key Moments

Auckland FC took the lead in the closing moments of the first half. In the 45th minute plus three, Guillermo May scored with a header following a cross from Jesse Randall.

Melbourne City responded late in the second half. Medin Memeti equalized in the 90th minute plus four, scoring with virtually the last kick of the match to force the game into extra time and eventually a shootout.

According to reporting from the NZ Herald, Auckland FC entered the match following a difficult run of form and appeared to be on the verge of elimination after City’s late equalizer.

The Penalty Shootout

The shootout was a high-scoring affair that required seven rounds of penalties to determine a winner. The sequence of successful penalties for Auckland FC included Sam Cosgrove, Guillermo May, Jake Brimmer, William Gillion, Medin Memeti, and Hiroki Sakai.

Melbourne City’s successful efforts were converted by Andrew Nabbout, Mathew Leckie, Marcus Younis, Zane Schreiber, Nando Pijnaker, and Aziz Behich.

The deadlock was finally broken in the seventh round of the shootout. Dan Hall scored the decisive penalty, beating goalkeeper Nathaniel Atkinson to secure the 7-6 victory for the Black Knights.

Context and Implications

This victory marked Auckland FC’s first win in six weeks, shaking off a period of patchy home form. It also represents the first time the club has participated in a penalty shootout.

By progressing, Auckland FC has reached the semi-finals for the second consecutive season. The club now moves forward to face Adelaide United in the Isuzu UTE A-League Semi-Finals.

For Melbourne City, the defeat marks the end of their campaign as defending champions. Despite dominating possession in the opening half, they were unable to secure the win in regulation or the subsequent shootout.