There were some surreal moments. Towards the end of the match the Moroccan crowd - who have adopted Auckland City - were chanting "ole", as the New Zealand side kept the ball in a sustained passing movement. And in extra time, two Auckland players engaged in a brief head tennis rally, epitomising the comfort they are suddenly feeling at this level.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect was the way Auckland City continued to attack after John Irving's well-taken goal in the 52nd minute. Given the stage and what was at stake, the inclination would have been to sit back and defend. But they continued to press and at times attacked in numbers, looking more comfortable as the minutes ticked down.
This is a huge result for Oceania football - easily the biggest achievement by a club team from the region - and is a massive boost for the sport.
It's also timely, as the confederation seeks an automatic World Cup spot for the 2018 edition, or at least a defined qualifying path.
The stocks of coach Ramon Tribulietx are now incredibly high, as this was another tactical masterclass from the Spanish coach. He has been ignored by New Zealand Football - it's hard to understand how his expertise has not been used at national level - but he won't be in other countries. Offers will come, and he may get now his chance at a professional level.
And what about Irving? After the first match in Morocco the former Everton junior - who was good enough to be captain of the reserve team at Goodison Park but didn't progress from there - spoke about "just wanting a chance to impress, to be noticed". He has certainly done that. He was again outstanding in defence and showed neat footwork to create the opening for his goal.
It's also a timely reminder for High Performance Sport New Zealand - who continue to ignore men's football because it doesn't meet their criteria while pouring millions into swimming, triathlon and snowboarding - of the sport's capacity to inspire.
