Auckland, March 16 : Team New Zealand reached match point in the America’s Cup with come-from-behind win in race nine Tuesday on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour to extend their lead over Luna Rossa to 6-3.
The hosts need one more win to claim yachting’s most prestigious trophy in the best-of-13 series and can achieve the mark in the day’s second race later Tuesday.
Luna Rossa, desperate to keep the series alive, led for most of a dramatic race as the lead changed five times in shifting winds.
But the New Zealanders made a decisive charge on the fifth leg of six and won by 30 seconds to set up a potentially series-clinching race 10.
Luna Rossa will need to capture all four remaining races to win the Auld Mug trophy.
