Auckland FC continued their strong start to the OFC Pro League with a third consecutive victory, edging past Bula FC 1–0 at North Harbour Stadium on Thursday night.

An early strike from midfielder Daniel Normann proved decisive, as the Black Knights were forced to defend resolutely for much of the second half after being reduced to ten men.

Normann opened the scoring in the 12th minute, finishing confidently into the bottom-right corner after Reid Drake delivered a low corner into the box.

The goal, the result of a well-worked set piece, was enough to secure all three points for Luke Casserly’s side.

Auckland FC fielded the same starting eleven that defeated South Island United in their season opener, with Normann and Drake the only players to start all three matches of the Pro League’s opening round.

Meanwhile, Bula FC made two changes following their opening draw with Vanuatu United FC, with Yuta Konagaya and Nabil Begg coming into the lineup.

Bula FC had chances to level the match before halftime, most notably when Fergus Gillion volleyed over from close range after a strong run down the left by Kaile Auvray.

Auckland thought they had doubled their lead shortly after, but Everton O’Leary’s finish was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

VAR also denied Bula FC early in the second half, with Begg’s apparent equalizer disallowed due to an offside in the build-up.

Wet conditions returned after a week of heavy rain across Auckland, and the slippery surface played a role in a key turning point when O’Leary received a second yellow card for a sliding challenge on Auvray, leaving Auckland FC to play out the remainder of the match with ten men.

Despite enjoying a numerical advantage, Bula FC struggled to break down Auckland’s defence. Auvray went close with a half-volley, while Roy Krishna was kept quiet by close attention from Auckland captain Tass Mourdoukoutas.

Late substitutions from Bula FC coach Stéphane Auvray failed to shift the momentum, as Auckland FC held firm to secure a hard-fought win.

Frustrations boiled over in the closing stages, with several cautions issued as tensions rose.

The result leaves Auckland FC top of the OFC Pro League standings after the first round with a perfect nine points, while Bula FC sit on one point from their opening two matches.

Auckland will now travel to Papua New Guinea for the second round of the competition.