Auckland United retained their OFC Women's Champions League crown in Papeete on May 18, overcoming Hekari United 1-0 in a repeat of last season's final, as well as a rematch of their group encounter earlier in the tournament. It's the third successive season in which Papua New Guinea's champions have been the bridesmaids at this event, but this time the loss was more painful, given there are greater rewards attached to the title, with participation in qualifying for the inaugural FIFA Women's Champions Cup the reward for claiming the Oceania crown. Auckland's victory has earned them a trip to Asia, where they'll face the Asian Women's Champions League winners - they'll be crowned next weekend. The winners of the Asia-Oceania encounter head to Africa to take on the CAF Women's Champions League winners. Overcome those hurdles, and Auckland will find themselves up against either Arsenal or Barcelona, who contest the UEFA Women's Champions League Final next Sunday morning, NZ time. The other semi-final pits the CONCACAF and South American champions against each other. Those semis, plus the final, are scheduled for January 28 and February 1 respectively, at a venue FIFA has yet to announce. To get to this stage of proceedings, Ben Bate's charges finished top of their group in Papeete, sweeping the board with 11-0 wins over host club AS Pirae and PanSa, from American Samoa, sandwiching a hard-earned 2-1 triumph over Hekari, whose goal came in second half stoppage time. Those wins set up a semi-final against Henderson Eels, who were never in the hunt after United struck thrice in the first seven minutes before going on to win 6-1, with Zoe Benson adding a hat-trick to her five-goal haul against the Tahitians, her eight goals earning her the Golden Boot as the tournament's top markswoman. So to the final, Hekari again. And, as last year, so, this - 1-0 Auckland, Danielle Canham's volley going through the legs of Chloe Knott and deceiving Hekari goalkeeper Gloria Laeli in the 26th minute, the only goal of another hard-fought affair twixt these teams, a goal which will see Auckland take on one of Incheon Red Angels (Korea Republic), Melbourne City (Australia), Wuhan Jiangda (China) or Ho Chi Minh City (DPR Korea) later this year. In addition to Benson's bauble, Hannah Mitchell and Saskia Vosper also added individual honours to their footballing CVs, taking home the Golden Glove, for Goalkeeper of the Tournament, and Golden Ball - the Player of the Tournament - respectively. Auckland now turn their attention back to domestic affairs, specifically the Lotto Northern Premier Women's League, in which they've got a wee bit of ground to make up on West Coast Rangers after the new leaders maintained their perfect start to the campaign by overcoming the stern challenge of Western Springs 2-0 at a foggy Fred Taylor Park on Friday night. The elements added to the tense nature of the contest, which was decided by a goal in each half. Laney Strachan broke the deadlock when turning home an Emily Lyon corner in the 24th minute, while a rare Shannon Henson finish - she doesn't get many with her left peg - propelled the reigning Golden Boot to the top of this season's charts ten minutes into the second spell. Earlier that day, Springs announced their new coach, with Katie Hoyle making the move across town from Eastern Suburbs to take on the full-time

Head of Women's Football role at Seddon Fields from the start of June. Suburbs moved swiftly to replace "Hoyley", with Adam Thurston the new gaffer of "The Lilywhites". Across town at Riverhills Park, Fencibles United kept Hibiscus Coast at arm's length as they prevailed 2-0 to close to within a point of the teams occupying third and fourth spots on the table. Two pinpoint corners delivered by the well-performed Taylah Byers earned "Fencies" the points before half-time, Alisa Tuatagaloa tucking home the first of them from close range on the quarter hour before Rosie Missen's cracking header doubled the lead four minutes before the interval. Millie Loxton rattled the crossbar after the break as the home team eased to victory over "The Coasters", who will be keen to build on their solid second half showing - the return of Deja Pareta is a welcome boost to their situation. And that situation is a relegation dogfight with Tauranga Moana, who found Maddi Ollington in "four-midable" form at Michaels Avenue on Sunday, her four-goal haul leading Ellerslie to a 5-2 win over the bottom-placed side, who are still without a point to their name so far this season. Danielle Grimmer gave "The Ponies" the ideal start in the third minute before the former Hamilton Wanderer stamped her authority on proceedings, netting three goals prior to the interval before adding a fourth seven minutes into the second spell. Captain Ella Golding scored late in each half for the visitors, who have recruited former "Coaster" Gabriella Hislop to their ranks as they try to turn things around. The question must be asked, however - how do you go from convincing Lotto Northern Women's Championship winners last season to struggling Premier Women's League contenders this, having strengthened your squad in between times to compete in the best league in the land? It's another Friday night double this week, with your choice of two matches to attend. "The Hoops" welcome "Fencies" to Seddon Fields, while "The Coasters" and "The Lilywhites" lock horns on the North Harbour Stadium Tigerturf. Auckland's first game back following their Oceania exploits sees them taking on Ellerslie at Keith Hay Park on Saturday afternoon, twenty-four hours before Tauranga take on league leaders Rangers at Fergusson Park. Details: Ellerslie 5 (D. Grimmer (3), M. Ollington (18, 23, 45, 52)), Tauranga Moana 2 (E. Golding (42, 90))  HT 4-1 Fencibles United 2 (A. Tuatagaloa (16), R. Missen (41)), Hibiscus Coast 0  HT 2-0 West Coast Rangers 2 (L. Strachan (24), S. Henson (56)), Western Springs 0  HT 1-0 OFC Women's Champions League details: Auckland United 11 (Z. Benson (6, 18, 19, 42, 45), D. Canham (10, 38), A. Pritchard (45), T. Dugan (74, 90), C. Roche (90)), AS Pirae 0  HT 8-0 Auckland United 2 (A. Granger (42), A. Pritchard (55)), Hekari United 1 (S. Waida (90))  HT 1-0 Auckland United 11 (C. Knott (6, 21, 30), A. Pritchard (19 pen), J. Philpot (23), A. Vosper (40), P. Vlok (51, 85, 90), S. Vosper (81), K. McConnell (89)), PanSa 0  HT 6-0 Auckland United 6 (T. Dugan (3), Z. Benson (5, 18, 28), A. Pritchard (7), D. Canham (47)), Henderson Eels 1 (I. Pegi (26))  HT 5-1 Auckland United 1 (D. Canham (26)), Hekari United 0  HT 1-0