It was a case of so close and yet so far for footballer Bill Robertson in Fiji last Sunday.
"To get so far and not to go to the [Fifa] Club World Cup is kind of hard to take," says the co-captain of Team Wellington after returning to Napier fromSuva following their 4-3 penalty shootout loss to defending champions Auckland City in the OFC league final.
City, who qualified for their seventh Club World Cup, were tied 1-1 in regulation time before clinching their fifth consecutive O-League crown.
Ironically centreback Robertson, of Napier, became the centre of commotion in the 13th minute when Tahitian referee Norbert Hauata awarded a penalty which striker Joao Moreira duly scored for a 1-0 lead.
Wellington goalkeeper Michael O'Keefe couldn't clear a freekick and as the ball dropped loose Robertson was judged to have pulled down Marko Dordevich inside the box.
The O-League newcomers didn't find the equaliser until the 79th minute through leftback Ian Hogg's left-foot volley following a freekick in the tempestuous affair with players exchanging a few handbags.
More controversy as Hauata awarded Auckland another penalty in the second spell of extra time after Hogg was deemed to have handled a Ryan de Vries shot. This time O'Keefe, who also parried a penalty shootout bid, denied Darren White. Wellington centreback Chris Bale was sent off for "going off at the referee".
"Team Wellington certainly didn't think so [penalties awarded]," says Robertson after teammates Luis Corrales and Hogg missed in the shootout.