Soccer: Auckland's opponents finally found

Auckland City's captain Ivan Vicelich. Photo / Greg Bowker

After months of waiting, Auckland City finally found out who they will play in their football Club World Cup playoff on Thursday for a place in the quarter-finals.

Auckland were drawn to meet the winners of the J-League, and Kashiwa Reysol won that crown today (Sunday) after they swept aside Urawa Red Diamonds 3-1 at Saitama to win the title.

In a nail-biting title decider, Gamba Osaka and Nagoya Grampus Eight both needed to win their last games to have any hopes of winning the title but those were dashed when Kashiwa won.

Auckland City skipper Ivan Vicelich said watching the drama unfold live on Japanese television was nerve-shredding.

"Any one of the three teams could have won the title," Vicelich said. "The tension was unbelievable."

Kashiwa's win also sees Auckland avoid an away game with Nagoya Grampus Eight in front of their own fans at Toyota Stadium.

Former Japan international Teruo Iwamoto, who played for Auckland City at the 2006 Club World Cup, believes that could work in Auckland City's favour. But that advantage, says Vicelich, is only minor.

"We've avoided Nagoya, which is a positive for us and Teruo (a former Auckland player) is thinking in our best interests," he said.

"But Kashiwa look a good team and they're on a big high and we're going to have a big mission ahead of us. We're facing a team that is absolutely buzzing and that adds to our difficulties."

Auckland moved to their new team base in Nagoya just 15 minutes away from Toyota Stadium with a morale-boosting 2-1 win over professional outfit Ryutsu Keizai on Saturday morning (NZT) still fresh in their minds.

Vicelich said the win had put a spring in the step of the O-League champions.

"It served a purpose because we needed a hit-out in Japan. It was a good chance to get a couple of goals and I think we've got the benefit out of that match," he said.

"It's hard to say [if we have a chance] but looking at the stats Kashiwa conceded 41 goals and lost eight games out of 34 - that's more than both Osaka and Nagoya. Maybe that says we can create a chance.

"But they are a very good side. We have to play out of our skins to have any chance of a result."