Football: Double from Moreira helps Auckland to win

Auckland's Joao Moreira scored twice in a friendly against Hong Kong Rangers. Photo / photosport.nz

Auckland City started their road to the Fifa Club World Cup with a 4-1 win over Hong Kong Rangers this morning.

Two goals by Joao Moreira and one each for Dae Wook Kim and Clayton Lewis cancelled out a goal by Hong Kong's Spanish import Nando Recio.

Kim opened the scoring with a brilliant glancing header after 17 minutes after good build-up work by Micah Lea'alafa and Darren White.

In the second half Angel Berlanga teed up Moreira to hit a low shot past goalkeeper Yu-Ming Chiu, before Hong Kong struck back immediately to make it 2-1. But Moreira restored Auckland's two-goal cushion when he finished off a slick move started by Bilen.

Moreira eventually turned provider when he latched onto a delightful De Vries through ball and picked out Clayton Lewis to clinch the result.

Coach Ramon Tribulietx was happy with the performance after a long journey and said it kept his team on track for the challenge that awaits in Japan.

"The performance was more important than the result. We wanted to give players the opportunity to get the travel out of their legs and that was our objective.

"It was good for us to experience scoring a few goals against what was a decent side. It's become a bit difficult for us in the Stirling Sports Premiership lately so that was positive," he said.

Auckland now move on to Japan where their next match is another friendly with J.League 3 side SC Sagamihara on December 2.