Football: Wanderers wilt under extra-time pressure as monsoon-like conditions take toll

Cruz Azul's veteran striker Mariano Pavone celebrates the winning goal. Photo / AP

Western Sydney's dreams of facing Real Madrid were washed away in controversial circumstances, suffering a 3-1 extra-time loss to Mexican side Cruz Azul in near-unplayable conditions at the Club World Cup.

The game effectively became a lottery after monsoon-like rain drenched what was already a poor quality pitch in Rabat, Morocco.

The Asian champion Sydneysiders showed plenty of grit early but finished with nine men after centre backs Matthew Spiranovic and Nikolai Topor-Stanley were sent off, the latter in farcical scenes in extra-time amid a case of mistaken identity.

Cruelly, the Wanderers were just two minutes away from winning in regular time to secure a dream match-up with Cristiano Ronaldo and his star teammates. Coach Tony Popovic's side led after a long-range stunner from midfielder Iacopo La Rocca midway through the second half before and 88th-minute penalty from Cruz Azul captain Gerardo Torrado sent the match into extra-time.

Wanderers captain Topor-Stanley was sent off to leave the Wanderers down to nine men late in the first period of extra-time before goals by veteran striker Mariano Pavone and Torrado sealed the win for the six-time North American champions.

Western Sydney, who qualified with their historic Asian Champions League triumph last month, defied their poor A-League form and a pre-match pay dispute to push heavily favoured Cruz Azul all the way - though the conditions were a leveller.

There had already been concerns over the quality of the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium leading into the match but the pre-match deluge turned it into a nightmare for the players.

With sections of the field waterlogged, attacking fluency was virtually impossible as the ball stuck in parts and skidded in others.

Despite halftime murmurs that the remainder of the game could be postponed, the players returned for the second half.

The Mexican side began to threaten with regularity and Wanderers centre back Matthew Spiranovic kept them in the fight, making a crucial goal-line stop in the 63rd minute after Ante Covic was beaten. And La Rocca made it count just two minutes later.