They beat Perth Glory in a penalty shootout in an elimination final, then beat the Newcastle Jets in a semifinal, getting the capital behind them like never before.
They fell one step short of the grand final, when they lost 4-2 away to Sydney FC in the preliminary final.
But football was suddenly front and centre in the New Zealand sporting landscape, on the eve of the All Whites’ first FIFA World Cup appearance in 28 years.
The national team finished undefeated in South Africa that year, drawing with Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay in group F, but failed to advance to the knockout stage.
With five Phoenix players and Ricki Herbert – the coach of both teams – along for the ride.Wellington Phoenix players celebrate their penalty shootout win over Perth Gory in 2010. Photo: Dave Lintott / Photosport .............
Sixteen years on, it looks like history might be repeating.
If you had tried telling that to a Phoenix fan in March 2010, as they hit heights they haven’t reached again since, they would have looked at you very queerly indeed.
Auckland’s story isn’t incredible, nor is it a fairytale – their billionaire backing rules those adjectives out – but they have had an impressive first two seasons all the same.
Francis de Vries, Callan Elliot, Nando Pijnaker, Jesse Randall and Michael Woud – the club’s five World Cup-bound All Whites.
If you were at Go Media Stadium on Saturday night, or among the throngs downtown the following afternoon, it would have been clear football was having a moment.
On the eve of a World Cup in North America that will be played largely in waking hours in New Zealand – not through the middle of the night.
