“I was sitting up at the gym earlier, contemplating the differences you know with our neighbours. We fully support them, and they have been fully supportive of us right from day one” – Faalogo Tana Umaga
Residents, flatmates, neighbours of North Harbour Stadium. However you call them, both Auckland FC and Moana Pasifika are set for some major showdowns this Saturday.
Both sides found shelter at the stadium last year, with Moana securing it as their base for home matches, and Auckland FC utilised the space for its administrative base and training grounds.
It’s a contrast of tales however for this Saturday as Moana Pasifika will play their final home game of the season – and possibly forever – at the stadium, while Auckland FC battle it out in this year’s A League cup title match.
On Thursday afternoon, both sides hosted media standups ahead of their Saturday matches. Moana head coach Faalogo Tana Umaga spoke to reporters, as Auckland FC conducted their training run on the same pitch a few metres down.
Seeing their neighbours reach the finals, Faalogo says it crossed his mind in the lead up to Saturday. He says that Moana will always be in full support of them, and the mutual respect between the two sides the past year till now.
“I was sitting up at the gym earlier, contemplating the differences you know with our neighbours. We fully support them, and they have been fully supportive of us right from day one,” Faalogo stated.
“They’ve done well with the resources they’ve had, and that is the difference, the resources.
They have done it well and we haven’t. And that is probably a lesson we got to have a look at. It’s at different ends of the spectrum as well for the world of sport.”
First five-eighth Jackson Garden Bachop also touched on the relationship with their football brothers.
“It’s just cool being in a place where there are two professional teams. Different energies but same personalities and goals,” he says.
“Seeing their energy sometimes while we train and having potential champions walking in the corridors next to us is cool.”
Struggling in its early seasons to find a home, Moana Pasifika has made North Harbour Stadium its safe haven creating its own community and fan base along the way.
And with Saturday shaping up as not only their farewell for this year but potentially forever, Faalogo says that they are grateful for their home ground and how it has assisted them the past year till now.
“Coming over here to the shore was kinda like a leap of faith really. It was a facility for us, we didn’t have to go to four corners or different areas to do certain things. And then we found our pocket of Pasifika here and they got behind us. We have been really fortunate.”
Bachop added, “Just this week we’re really excited to play one more time in front of our people and home crowd. Playing here the last season has been real special and people have really made us feel the love and support.”
Moana take on the Reds on Saturday afternoon before heading to Australia to face the Brumbies for their last fixture of the season next week.
And Auckland FC play that Championship final against Sydney FC on Saturday night at Go Media Stadium.
