New Zealand football title race all but over

Waitakere United can seal football's domestic minor premiership title this afternoon with victory against Otago.

Seven points clear of Auckland City, with three regular season games remaining, three points this afternoon would mean United could not be caught.

And the chances of those three points travelling back to West Auckland from the South Island are high, with sixth-placed Otago losing nine of their 11 league games so far.

The likely race for second also sees a big game today, with third-placed Hawke's Bay hosting Canterbury in fourth.

Victory for the visitors would see Canterbury jump ahead of Hawke's Bay, but it won't be easy against the most-improved side of the season.

Second-placed Auckland travel to the capital to keep their slim hopes of overhauling Waitakere alive.

Mid-table Wellington present City with an tricky task. Having won five and lost six times this season, Wellington have proven very unpredictable.

Finally, the wooden spoon race hots up, with the league's bottom two teams, Waikato and Manawatu, facing off in Hamilton.

Manawatu, with a goal difference of -30, would still be bottom if they win, but would give themselves a shot at escaping the spoon.

- © Fairfax NZ News