Atlante FC 3
Auckland City 0
A brave Auckland City were welcomed to the harsh world of professional football at the Zayed Sports City stadium as they crashed to classy Mexican club Atlante FC in the second quarter-final at the Fifa Club World Cup.
It was the end of an unbeaten record stretching back to March for Paul Posa's team but there was no disgrace in going down to what Posa later said was the best team Auckland City had ever played.
City had less than 25 per cent possession and spent much of the 90 minutes pinned deep in their own territory, struggling to find a way out.
Atlante were credited with 18 shots on goal (eight on target) whereas City managed just eight (two on target). It was a footballing lesson but one the enthusiastic amateurs will learn from.
Only when they pressed forward for a time midway through the second half and forced four corners did City enjoy much attacking possession.
Wide players Fernando Navarro and Daniel Arreola seemed to have all the space in the world as the City defenders were forced to group closer together centrally to combat the threat posed by the three-pronged Atlante attack who were fed a feast of ball from the flanks.
They were always half a yard faster than the City players who quickly showed the effects of the quick turnaround after their win over Al Ahli just three days earlier. Too often the Atlante players nipped in to steal possession from the slow-to-react City players.
"They gave us no time on the ball," Posa later admitted. "They were too quick and pressed very high.
"We had a game plan to contain them and we went out with the hope of keeping them to one goal late in the game and then have a go at them."
That never eventuated. City gave up a soft goal 10 minutes before halftime when the defence failed to clear a corner.
The ball fell to City midfielder Adam McGeorge who gifted it to Daniel Arreola who wasted no time in hooking the ball away from goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley and into his goal.
McGeorge's woes continued when seven minutes later he was booked for what appeared a soft foul by Benin referee Coffi Codjia and will now miss the next game for a second yellow card.
Chad Coombes, who stunned Al Ahli with his snap goal, had a similar long-range strike two minutes into the second half. Goalkeeper, and captain, Fredrico Vilar spilled his save before regathering.
Atlante doubled their lead in the 70th minute when the disjointed City defence failed to clear and Christian Bermudez charged and, from close range, fired the ball through Spoonley's legs.
Posa rang the changes in the need for fresh legs including giving Grant Young, at 38 years, the oldest player at the tournament, 25 minutes.
A minute into stoppage time Atlante cashed in again as tired City legs struggled to defend and substitute Lucas Silva crashed the ball home.
Posa and his players now have four days to regroup and prepare for the fifth/sixth play-off with African champions TP Mazemba from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
