Defenders George Suri (51st minute) and Craig Wylie (94th minute)were both red carded for their second yellow card offences in a pulsating and dramatic afternoon at Mount Smart Stadium in front of a crowd of 9,000.

Suri's ordering off galvanised Waitakere and they found themselves 1-0 up when a Jeff Campbell free kick to the far post eluded Ba keeper Laisenia Tuba allowing Daniel Koprivcic to head the ball into the path of Allan Pearce whose close range cushioned header landed in the back of the net unopposed.

It was a cruel blow for Ba who had the better of the first half with chances to Osea Vakatalesau and Kiniviliame Turagalailai squandered.

The West Aucklanders had to survive a raft of Fijian attacks and had Allan Pearce to thank in the 24th minute when the midfielder cleared a Malakai Kainihewe header off the line.

Waitakere United keeper Michael Utting was in superb form and denied Vakatalesau with an acrobatic save just before halftime.

Ba could have led 2-0 at the break and matters didn't get any better for the Fijians in the second half when Vakatalesau's header was palmed wide by the inspirational Utting after 59 minutes.

The Fijian champions struggled to regain their first half ascendancy as Waitakere United's defence thwarted attack after attack with Graham Pearce, Sam Jasper and Craig Wylie putting in a sterling effort.

Ba coach Yogendra Dutt was understandably upset at the result but was philosophical about the future of Fijian football.

"This is difficult for us to accept the pain of defeat but this is not the end of the road for us. In life you must accept painful lessons sometimes and use them to move forward. This is what we will do," Dutt said.

Waitakere United coach Steve Cain expressed relief at the final result after the pain and disappointment of losing the NZFC Final to Auckland City.

Solomon Islands striker Commins Menapi picked up the 2007 O-League Golden Boot award from FIFA/OFC Ambassador and former France and Real Madrid star Christian Karembeu for his five goal haul in six O-League appearances.

Waitakere United's victory sealed a $670,000NZD payday for the club at the FIFA Club World Cup - Japan 2007.

2007 O-LEAGUE FINAL
2nd LEG
WAITAKERE UNITED vs. BA
SUNDAY 29th APRIL
MOUNT SMART STADIUM
AUCKLAND
NEW ZEALAND


WAITAKERE UNITED: Michael UTTING, Craig WYLIE, Graham PEARCE (Rupesh PUNA 80), George SURI, Sam JASPER, Allan PEARCE, Pedro SANTOS(Hone FOWLER 60), Daniel KOPRIVCIC(Jakub SINKORA 69), Jeff CAMPBELL.

SUBS NOT USED: Simon EADDY, Michael GWYTHER, Prince QUANSAH, Danny HAY.

YELLOW CARDS: Craig WYLIE, George SURI, Commins MENAPI.

RED CARDS: George SURI, Craig WYLIE.

GOALS: Allan PEARCE 55th minute.

BA: Laisenia TUBA, Shalen LAL (Avinesh SWAMY 68), Roneel KUMAR, Jone VESIKULA, Josaia BUKALIDI, Robert WISE, Peni FINAU, Kiniviliame TURAGALAILAI, Osea VAKATALESAU(Roland CHANDRA 82), Malakai TIWA, Malakai KAINEHEWE.

SUBS NOT USED: Epeli CODRO, Niumaia TAGI, Leone VURUKANIA, Luke VIDOVI, Keni DOIDOI.

YELLOW CARDS: Kiniviliame TURAGALAILAI, Osea VAKATALESAU, Robert WISE

RED CARDS: None.

GOALS: None.

1st LEG: Ba 2, Waitakere United 1

2nd LEG: Waitakere United 1, Ba 0

WAITAKERE UNITED WIN ON AWAY GOALS RULE

GOALSCORERS:

5 - Commins MENAPI (Waitakere United)

4 - Daniel KOPRIVCIC (Waitakere United)
3 - Paul URLOVIC (Auckland City), Grant YOUNG (Auckland City), Joe LUWI (Marist FC)
2 - Bryan LITTLE (Auckland City), Laisenia TUBA (Ba FC), Keni DOIDOI (Ba FC), Keryn JORDAN (Auckland City), Allan PEARCE (Waitakere United).
1 - Osea VAKATALESAU (Ba FC), Danny HAY (Waitakere United), Hoani EDWARDS (Waitakere United), Patrick DIAIKE (AS Mont Dore), Roneel KUMAR (Ba FC), Jean Francois KABEU (AS Temanava), Tuimasi MANOCI (Ba FC), Roberto POIROI (AS Temanava), Maheanu ARAPARII (AS Temanava), James NAKA (Marist FC), Craig WYLIE (Waitakere United), Michael GWYTHER (Waitakere United), Roland CHANDRA (Ba FC), Josaia BUKALIDI (Ba FC), own goal.