Wānaka opened the first 20 minutes with blistering intent.
Defending high up the pitch, the visitors stifled Christchurch United, making it difficult for the hosts to establish any sustained possession.
However, following a set piece that was not dealt with decisively in the penalty area, Wānaka found themselves 1-0 down against the run of play.
Christchurch United changed tack bypassing the midfield press by playing long balls towards their target man, Oliver Grosso, with runners feeding off his hold-up play.
While Wānaka controlled the game, Christchurch were more effective with the ball, with Christchurch taking a 2-0 lead in the 29th minute.
Refusing to let the game slip away, Wānaka doubled down on its aggressive approach.
Their persistence paid off with a sequence of quick, intricate combination play inside the penalty area, which reduced the deficit to 2-1.
Wānaka capitalised on their momentum just five minutes later, with the high-press producing a turnover in Christchurch’s final third, and allowing the visitors to level the score at 2-2 going into the halftime interval.
The second half began on a frustrating note for Wānaka as they conceded a soft goal shortly after the restart.
The situation worsened around the hour mark when a misplaced back-pass was intercepted by the Oliver Grosso, who made no mistake in extending the lead to 4-2.
Wānaka did not go quietly and carved out multiple clearcut opportunities in the closing stages, but they were thwarted by a masterclass in goalkeeping, with the Christchurch United shotstopper producing three brilliant saves, preserving the lead for the home side.
Despite missing influential captain Danny Heemskerk due to a suspension following last week’s red card, the visitors displayed a resilient spirit that kept the home side on their toes until the final whistle. The match also signalled a new chapter for Wānaka with debuts handed to Lucas Pedrozo and Ethan Arratia, both of whom looked comfortable in the heat of a high-pressure away fixture
Dominic Plimmer was named Man of the Match for his efforts. He was brilliant throughout the contest, commanding the midfield and driving the team forward during their most dominant periods.
Next Monday, the team heads to Christchurch again to take on Coastal Spirit.
