And it was great for the league. The Phoenix Reserves - a team made up of fringe professionals, academy players and fill-ins - banged in three goals in 30 minutes at Kiwitea Street, opening up the league table and showcasing just what great emerging talent New Zealand has coming through.
The Phoenix deserve credit for putting together such a competitive team. There had been doubts about their place in the league, especially after their dismal capitulation on TV against WaiBop in December, but they came back strongly against Auckland and have now jumped up to second on the table.
And their spot in the league has benefited the first team. Would Tyler Boyd, who is the ASB Premiership golden boot leader, have had the sharpness to come off the bench and score two goals to propel the Phoenix to victory this month against Adelaide without regular game time?
Ivan Vicelich may have been the third best player at the Club World Cup but he was only the third best midfielder on Sunday, outworked and outplayed by the blossoming Phoenix duo of Alex Rufer and Matthew Ridenton who will both be key players at the U-20 World Cup.
But perhaps the brightest jewel in their crown was right back Tam Dimario. He was cool, calm and exceptionally quick, and looks a good bet to one day lock down that troublesome right-back Phoenix spot.
But what does the result say about Auckland? Have they become a strange hybrid club where their domestic league success now plays fourth fiddle to Club World Cup, O-League and international friendlies. Were the players, and coach, pre-occupied thinking about future professional contracts? Or was this just one bad game, a predictable Club World Cup hangover? It must be difficult transitioning from playing in front of 30,000 fans away from home, to 1000 at home.
It's shaping up as the most competitive season on record.
The bad
Spare a thought for New Zealand under-20 assistant coach Willie Gerdsen who was sacked last week on the eve of the World Cup here.
Gerdsen has been with the Under-20s for 3 years and said the decision was "a surprise" which came about with no warning.
Coach Darren Bazeley said Gerdsen didn't fit with New Zealand Football's "aligned vision" and a change was appropriate to ensure a "consistency of approach and philosophy". But they haven't named a permanent replacement. If Gerdsen didn't fit well with the programme - a decision they came to after 3 years - fine. New Zealand Football needs bold decisions. But be bold enough to name a permanent replacement, too.
Neil Emblen has been named as interim help, but if he's the right man, lock him in. The clock is ticking and a second change would be even weirder.
The Ugly
Ramon Tribulietx took a team of semi-professional nobodies to third place at the Fifa Club World Cup by extraordinary coaching, the best New Zealand Football has seen. But it wasn't good enough for the Halberg judges. Tribulietx was the shock omission when the top five Coach of the Year finalists were announced.
Why not? Did the late-entry work against him, or did the judges genuinely not appreciate the achievement he accomplished?
Anthony Peden (cycling), Gary Hay (rowing) and Gordon Walker (canoeing) all made the final cut; coaches who excelled with one or two individuals in niche sports. Tribulietx surpassed any realistic expectations against genuine world-wide competition, with a squad full of players.
He created a strategic and belief system that allowed his team, who were impossible underdogs, to win three of their four games against the champions of Morocco, Africa and North America. Auckland also won the O-League and ASB Championship.
If that doesn't get you a spot in the finals, what would? Beating Real Madrid?
3 more things
1. Auckland standout trialling in Europe
Auckland City defender John Irving was one of the best defenders at the Club World Cup and his performances caught the eye of English League Two side Portsmouth, where he is currently on trial.
2. Asian Cup graphics
It's great to have the Asian Cup live on Sky Sport but what happened to the graphics? It's pretty frustrating to try to follow a game when you don't know the score or how long there is to go.
3. Merrick's island getaway
Ernie Merrick is spending his break in the Islands in a search for the next Roy Krishna. Merrick is attending the OFC U-17 World Cup Qualifying tournament in Samoa, which starts today.
