Auckland City 0 Atlante 3
Auckland City have missed out on a chance to play European heavyweights Barcelona after losing their Club World Cup quarterfinal 3-0 to Mexico's Atlante in Abu Dhabi this morning (NZT).
Daniel Arreola scored in the 36th minute, Christian Bermudez made it 2-0 in the 69th and substitute Lucas Silva hit the third in added time for the CONCACAF champions.
After a poor clearance, Arreola's left-footed shot from inside the box went in. Bermudez fired his shot in from the edge of the area after exchanging passes with Rafael Marquez, and Lucas completed the win.
From the start Auckland defended in numbers and were content to allow Atlante to play in front of them.
The possession stakes heavily favoured the Mexicans but a disciplined Auckland defence stood firm throughout the first half and restricted their more fancied opposition to predominately half chances, with fullbacks Ian Hogg and Chad Coombes again impressive and Greg Uhlmann and captain Ivan Vicelich standing tall in the heart of the back four.
Jose Gonzalez saw a shot from outside the area dip late but onto the roof of Spoonley's net in the 14th minute, and then almost set up Marquez for the opener seven minute later with a raking cross that the stretching striker could only deflect over the bar.
Auckland could only muster two shots on goal in the first half, both from Ki-Hyung Lee, who sent a long-range speculator at Fredirico Vilar's goal midway through half and then, shortly after Arreola's opener, elected to fire a free kick direct on goal when City's full range of tall timber were lining up in the goal mouth hoping to use their clear height advantage to full effect.
After the break Auckland were quickly on the front foot. Argentinean goalkeeper Vilar was at his best to beat out a fierce drive by Coombes but nearly landed in the path of a trailing Dickinson, who was just centimeters away from the rebound.
Dickinson had another chance in the 62nd minute but the touch he needed to control the pass an elusive Jason Hayne's curled across the face of goal gave an Atlante defender just enough time to thwart the Englishman's effort, and while McGeorge followed up with a powerful low drive Vilar was again on hand to turn it wide.
Despite Auckland's resurgence Atlante didn't yield their dominance and made the New Zealand champions pay for missed opportunities when Bermudez sent them two goals clear in the 69th minute.
Auckland didn't lie down and immediately won a corner down the right hand flank from their most incisive and flowing move of the match.
A Coombes shot from the resulting set piece was deflected out for a second corner from the elbow of an Atlante defender but Auckland's shouts of handball and claims for a penalty went unheard.
Gaps began to open in the Auckland defence as legs tired and men pushed forward and while Silva missed an open goal in the 78th minute and was kept out, along with Guillermo Rojas, by saves from Spoonley in the final few minutes, the Brazilian made sure he was on the score sheet with Atlante's third goal in injury time.
Auckland City, which beat host Al Ahli 2-0 last week in the opening round, will meet African champion TP Mazembe of Congo for the fifth-place playoff before the Atlante-Barcelona game on Thursday.
- AP, NZ HERALD STAFF
