Chatham Cup fever struck Dunedin on Saturday, July 27, as the University Football Club took on New Zealand football powerhouse Auckland City in the quarterfinals. Held at Logan Park, it was a true David vs Goliath battle, with Auckland claiming a 5-1 win in front of a (slightly sloshed) student army of over 300 supporting the Otago underdogs.
Despite a hiccup mid-game when the field floodlights cut-out from an internet outage, putting the game on hold for 45 minutes, the atmosphere was infectious. In the pitch-dark, Otago University captain Ben Campbell said the stop in the play gave players on field the opportunity to mingle with their opposition. “I wanted to hate them, but I just couldn’t,” said Ben. “They were too good blokes.”
From a fan perspective, diehard football fan Patrick Marron said that as soon as the lights went out, the phone torches went on, and the chants continued. It was the “best atmosphere of any football match [Patrick had] ever been a part of.” And he hails from Southland, which is saying something. The chants were less wholesome, apparently featuring an Auckland player's “shit haircut” and another player being old.
An aftermatch was held at Eureka, sponsored largely by an Otago University FC life member who had travelled from Australia to watch the game – dedication to the next level. Allegedly, the ex-member shouted a big bar tab, but neither Patrick nor Ben could confirm the official number (likely having contributed to their memory gaps).
Generally speaking, Ben said, “It was an awesome opportunity rubbing shoulders with the best. They said that they loved Dunedin, despite the poor chants and the lights debacle.” In order to have been able to play Auckland City in the quarter finals of the national Chatham Cup tournament, the Otago Football Club had beaten Geraldine, Green Island, Northern and the Dunedin City Royals. For reference, Auckland City also came down in 2022 to play the Royals, winning 6-0.
“It was a massive test for the Varsity boys, but it was a good experience, and they played some good football,” said Ben. A remarkable achievement for a club with limited resources and a modest pool of players (their words, not Critic’s). To compete with Oceania’s historically best football team is no mean feat!