# 2008–09 New Zealand Football Championship

The NZFC 2008–09 season is the fifth season of the New Zealand Football Championship competition.
The previous season's champion, Waitakere United, and second-ranked club Auckland City FC will also be competing in the 2008-09 O-League which will run alongside the NZFC season.

## Changes for 2008/09

* The league format will change from three-round, 21-match system to a two-round, 14-match home and away system.
* The playoff system will be changed to home-and-away semifinals contested by the top four teams, followed by a one-match Grand Final. The Premier will no longer receive a bye to the final.
* Otago United will now play their home fixtures at Sunnyvale Park, moving from Carisbrook.
* YoungHeart Manawatu will now play their home fixtures at Memorial Park, moving from FMG Stadium
* Due to financial issues, Waikato FC will now play their home fixtures at Centennial Park in Ngaruawahia, moving from Waikato Stadium in Hamilton. It is expected the club will return to Hamilton the following season.
* Waitakere United will permanently return to Douglas Field, after spending the majority of the previous season at Fred Taylor Park.

## Participating clubs

| Club Name | Home City | Stadium | 2008-09 Placing | Notes |
| Auckland City FC | Auckland | Kiwitea Street | 2nd | 2008-09 Championship O-League 2009–10 |
| Canterbury United | Christchurch | English Park | 8th | 2008-09 Wooden Spoon |
| Hawke's Bay United | Napier | Bluewater Stadium | 5th | |
| Otago United | Dunedin | Sunnyvale Park | 7th | |
| Team Wellington | Wellington | Newtown Park | 4th | Lost in semifinals to Waitakere United |
| Waikato FC | Ngaruawahia | Centennial Park | 6th | |
| Waitakere United | Waitakere City | Douglas Field | 1st | 2008-09 Premiership O-League 2009–10 |
| YoungHeart Manawatu | Palmerston North | Memorial Park | 3rd | Lost in semi-finals to Auckland City FC |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Waitakere United | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 30 | 12 | +18 | 33 | Qualified for the Finals and Champions League |
| 2 | Auckland City (C) | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 27 | 15 | +12 | 25 | Qualified for the Finals and Champions League |
| 3 | YoungHeart Manawatu | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 19 | +3 | 23 | Qualified for the Finals |
| 4 | Team Wellington | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 23 | Qualified for the Finals |
| 5 | Hawke's Bay United | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 24 | 17 | +7 | 22 | |
| 6 | Waikato FC | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 19 | 22 | −3 | 19 | |
| 7 | Otago United | 14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 32 | −16 | 8 | |
| 8 | Canterbury United | 14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 32 | −21 | 8 | |

## Competition Schedule
### Round 1

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Canterbury United | 0 – 1 | YoungHeart Manawatu | 8 November 2008 | English Park | (Report) |
| Auckland City FC | 2 – 0 | Otago United | 9 November 2008 | Kiwitea Street | (Report) |
| Hawke's Bay United | 2 – 1 | Waikato FC | 9 November 2008 | Bluewater Stadium | (Report) |
| Team Wellington | 2 – 4 | Waitakere United | 9 November 2008 | Newtown Park | (Report) |

### Round 2

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Waikato FC | 1 – 3 | Auckland City FC | 15 November 2008 | Centennial Park | (Report) |
| YoungHeart Manawatu | 3 – 0 | Team Wellington | 15 November 2008 | Memorial Park | (Report) |
| Otago United | 2 – 1 | Canterbury United | 15 November 2008 | Sunnyvale Park | (Report) |
| Hawke's Bay United | 0 – 1 | Waitakere United | 16 November 2009 | Douglas Field | (Report) |

### Round 3

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Hawke's Bay United | 1 – 2 | Team Wellington | 23 November 2008 | Bluewater Stadium | (Report) |
| Otago United | 2 – 3 | YoungHeart Manawatu | 23 November 2008 | Sunnyvale Park | (Report) |
| Canterbury United | 0 – 1 | Waikato FC | 23 November 2008 | English Park | (Report) |
| Auckland City FC | 1 – 2 | Waitakere United | 26 November 2008 | Kiwitea Street | (Report) |

### Round 4

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| YoungHeart Manawatu | 1 – 2 | Hawke's Bay United | 29 November 2008 | Memorial Park | (Report) |
| Waitakere United | 1 – 1 | Canterbury United | 29 November 2008 | Douglas Field | (Report) |
| Team Wellington | 2 – 1 | Auckland City FC | 29 November 2008 | Newtown Park | (Report) |
| Waikato FC | 3 – 1 | Otago United | 30 November 2008 | Centennial Park | (Report) |

### Round 5

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Auckland City FC | 3 – 1 | Hawke's Bay United | 6 December 2008 | Kiwitea Street | (Report) |
| Waikato FC | 2 – 0 | YoungHeart Manawatu | 7 December 2008 | Centennial Park | (Report) |
| Canterbury United | 2 – 2 | Team Wellington | 7 December 2008 | English Park | (Report) |
| Otago United | 2 – 3 | Waitakere United | 22 February 2009 | Sunnyvale Park | (Report) |

### Round 6

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Hawke's Bay United | 1 – 2 | Canterbury United | 14 December 2008 | Bluewater Stadium | (Report) |
| Team Wellington | 1 – 0 | Otago United | 14 December 2008 | Newtown Park | (Report) |
| Waitakere United | 2 – 0 | Waikato FC | 26 January 2009 | Douglas Field | (Report) |
| YoungHeart Manawatu | 0 – 0 | Auckland City FC | 21 February 2009 | Memorial Park | (Report) |

### Round 7

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Waitakere United | 3 – 0 | YoungHeart Manawatu | 21 December 2008 | Douglas Field | (Report) |
| Waikato FC | 2 – 0 | Team Wellington | 21 December 2008 | Centennial Park | (Report) |
| Otago United | 1 – 3 | Hawke's Bay United | 21 December 2008 | Sunnyvale Park | (Report) |
| Canterbury United | 2 – 1 | Auckland City FC | 21 December 2008 | English Park | (Report) |

### Round 8

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| YoungHeart Manawatu | 4 – 0 | Canterbury United | 10 January 2009 | Memorial Park | (Report) |
| Waikato FC | 0 – 1 | Hawke's Bay United | 11 January 2009 | Centennial Park | (Report) |
| Waitakere United | 2 – 0 | Team Wellington | 11 January 2009 | Douglas Field | (Report) |
| Otago United | 0 – 1 | Auckland City FC | 11 January 2009 | Sunnyvale Park | (Report) |

### Round 9

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Auckland City FC | 3 – 0 | Waikato FC | 17 January 2009 | Kiwitea Street | (Report) |
| Waitakere United | 0 – 0 | Hawke's Bay United | 18 January 2009 | Douglas Field | (Report) |
| Team Wellington | 3 – 2 | YoungHeart Manawatu | 18 January 2009 | Newtown Park | (Report) |
| Canterbury United | 1 – 2 | Otago United | 18 January 2009 | English Park | (Report) |

### Round 10

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| YoungHeart Manawatu | 2 – 0 | Otago United | 24 January 2009 | Memorial Park | (Report) |
| Waitakere United | 4 – 2 | Auckland City FC | 24 January 2009 | Douglas Field | (Report) |
| Waikato FC | 3 – 1 | Canterbury United | 24 January 2009 | Centennial Park | (Report) |
| Team Wellington | 2 – 5 | Hawke's Bay United | 25 January 2009 | Newtown Park | (Report) |

### Round 11

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Auckland City FC | 1 – 3 | Team Wellington | 31 January 2009 | Kiwitea Street | (Report) |
| Hawke's Bay United | 2 – 3 | YoungHeart Manawatu | 1 February 2009 | Bluewater Stadium | (Report) |
| Otago United | 3 – 3 | Waikato FC | 1 February 2009 | Sunnyvale Park | (Report) |
| Canterbury United | 0 – 2 | Waitakere United | 1 February 2009 | English Park | (Report) |

### Round 12

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Waitakere United | 3 – 0 | Otago United | 6 February 2009 | Douglas Field | (Report) |
| Hawke's Bay United | 0 – 1 | Auckland City FC | 6 February 2009 | Bluewater Stadium | (Report) |
| YoungHeart Manawatu | 1 – 0 | Waikato FC | 14 February 2009 | Memorial Park | (Report) |
| Team Wellington | 3 – 1 | Canterbury United | 22 February 2009 | Newtown Park | (Report) |

### Round 13

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Auckland City FC | 3 – 0 | YoungHeart Manawatu | 8 February 2009 | Kiwitea Street | (Report) |
| Waikato FC | 2 – 1 | Waitakere United | 8 February 2009 | Centennial Park | (Report) |
| Otago United | 2 – 4 | Team Wellington | 8 February 2009 | Sunnyvale Park | (Report) |
| Canterbury United | 0 – 4 | Hawke's Bay United | 8 February 2009 | English Park | (Report) |

### Round 14

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Auckland City FC | 5 – 0 | Canterbury United | 1 March 2009 | Kiwitea Street | (Report) |
| YoungHeart Manawatu | 2 – 2 | Waitakere United | 1 March 2009 | Memorial Park | (Report) |
| Hawke's Bay United | 2 – 0 | Otago United | 1 March 2009 | Bluewater Stadium | (Report) |
| Team Wellington | 4 – 1 | Waikato FC | 1 March 2009 | Newtown Park | (Report) |

## Finals
### Bracket

| Elimination Final | Elimination Final | Elimination Final | Elimination Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| 4 Team Wellington | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 Waitakere United | 1 | 5 | 6 | | | | |
| 1 Waitakere United | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 Waitakere United | 1 Waitakere United | 1 Waitakere United | 1 |
| | | | | 2 Auckland City | 2 Auckland City | 2 Auckland City | 2 |
| 3 YoungHeart Manawatu | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 Auckland City | 2 Auckland City | 2 Auckland City | 2 |
| 2 Auckland City | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | |

### Semi-final - 1st leg

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Team Wellington | 0 – 1 | Waitakere United | 14 March 2009 | Newtown Park | (Report) |
| YoungHeart Manawatu | 3 – 1 | Auckland City FC | 15 March 2009 | Memorial Park | (Report) |

### Semi-final - 2nd leg

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Waitakere United | 5 – 0 (agg. 6 – 0) | Team Wellington | 21 March 2009 | Douglas Field | (Report) |
| Auckland City FC | 3 – 0 (agg. 4 – 3) | YoungHeart Manawatu | 22 March 2009 | Kiwitea Street | (Report) |

### Grand final

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue | Reports |
| Waitakere United | 1–2 | Auckland City FC | 29 March 2009 | Douglas Field | (Report) |