Auckland City v. Raja Casablanca, 11/12/13

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Stoppage Time Strike Ends City's World Cup Dreams

by Jeremy Ruane

An injury-time winner ended Auckland City's hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup Finals in Morocco on 11 December, as they were edged out 2-1 by local champions Raja Casablanca in front of 34,875 fans at the Agadir Stadium.

The hosts were the first team to threaten in a cagey opening period, Adil Karrouchy failing to direct his effort on target on receipt of a cross from the outstanding Mohsine Moutaouali, Casablanca's captain, who caused Auckland problems aplenty with his vision, movement and passing quality throughout proceedings.

The Oceania champions were very much second best during the first forty-five minutes, and after forcing a couple of corners, found themselves beating a hasty retreat in the 22nd minute after Moutaouali split the defence with a peach of a pass to reward the fine angled run of Mouhssine Iajour.

The striker was denied by the legs of Tamati Williams on this occasion, and went close with a twenty yarder soon afterwards, City's goalkeeper having denied Karrouchy in between times as Casablanca pressed for the opening goal mid-way through the first half.

Auckland came back at their opponents before the half-hour mark, a Chris Bale piledriver pole-axing central defender Ismail Benlamalem moments before Roy Krishna was denied at close quarters by Zakaria El Hachimi.

But it was Casablanca who were making the majority of the running, and six minutes before half-time they deservedly broke the deadlock following a free-kick. First time passes from Kouko Guehi and Karrouchy opened up City's defence down their right, and Iajour outpaced Ivan Vicelich before firing across Williams and into the bottom far corner of the net to put the host nation's representatives in the driving seat.

Five minutes into the second spell, only the post denied Casablanca a second goal. Karrouchy made in-roads down the left before slipping the ball inside to Moutaouali, who jinked his way into the penalty area before letting fly.

It was a welcome wake-up call for Auckland, who proceeded to dominate the next twenty minutes of play. Ten minutes into the second half, Bale went close with a fierce drive following a Cristobal Marquez corner, while three minutes later, a delightful free-kick move saw City go desperately close to drawing level.

Marquez rolled the ball into Daniel Koprivcic, and the veteran of a record six FIFA Club World Cup Finals tournaments slipped it round the corner, into the space which Krishna was racing into in the penalty area. But for the despairing lunge of Issam Erraki, the Fijian would have been in on goal with just Khalid Askri to beat.

Five minutes later, he was, and as a result, Auckland drew level. It came about from a counter-attack, with a Moutaouali shot cannoning off a City defender and ricocheting up-field to Krishna, who was lurking near the centre-circle in the 63rd minute.

Turning, the striker found himself with three defenders between him and Casablanca's goal, so downfield he charged. The trio - Benlamalem, Erraki and Mohamed Oulhaj - converged on Krishna, then comically collided in bizarre fashion, affording the striker a free run at goal. Askri stood

not a prayer - 1-1, game on!

At the sight of the ball in the back of their team's net, Casablanca's raucous fans were stunned into silence - no doubt the unbelievable sight of three of the "Green Eagles" team making a pig's ear of the task of stopping one player contributed to their sense of disbelief.

But City weren't complaining, and in the 71st minute the Kiwi team had penalty claims rebuffed by Gambian referee Bakary Gassama, Koprivcic going down in the area under the challenge of El Hachimi after Emiliano Tade, Bale and Marquez had combined to prise open Casablanca' defence on the right.

The locals sought to regain the ascendancy in the contest, and, led by their captain, they gained the initiative thirteen minutes from time. Moutaouali made a break down the left before darting inside and linking with Erraki.

He slipped the ball into the stride of Guehi, whose shot was blocked to safety by the lunging figure of John Irving, an effort which earned the fullback a bout of cramp which he struggled to overcome.

From then on, it was a rearguard action from City, with Angel Berlanga, Vicelich and Mario Bilen all featuring prominently as Casablanca pounded away in search of a late winner.

James Pritchett's vital 87th minute clearance prevented two "Green Eagles" swooping on an opportunity which the local team's pressure contrived, while two minutes later, Benlamalem, by now playing as a makeshift striker, directed a header over the bar on receipt of another Moutaouali cross.

Just as extra time appeared likely, Casablanca broke Auckland's hearts with a 92nd minute winner. Referee Gassama waved play on as Bilen fouled Erraki, the ball having broken to Moutaouali, who instantly played Karrouchy through in yards of space on the left.

He scythed into the penalty area before picking out the flying figure of Oulhaj with his cross. The defender's diving header was parried well by Williams, but first to react to the rebound was Abdelilah Hafidi, who rammed the loose ball high into the net to the delight of his team-mates and Casablanca's supporters.

Their 2-1 win means the reigning Moroccan champions now take on CF Monterrey in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals, while for Auckland, an early exit again beckons, though not for the want of trying.

Picking themselves up for an ASB Premiership encounter with Hawkes Bay United at Kiwitea Street on 22 December will be quite a challenge for Ramon Tribulietx's charges after having gone so close to earning a shot at extra-time in this encounter, one which sees them return home with $US 500,000 prize money for once again finishing seventh at FIFA's annual gathering of the world's champion clubs.

Casablanca: Askri; El Hachimi, Chtibi (Kanda, 74), Benlamalem (booked, 57), Oulhaj; Moutaouali, Hafidi (Rahmani, 90), Guehi, Karrouchy; Erraki, Iajour (Makide, 84)

Auckland: Williams; Irving (Pritchett, 86), Vicelich, Berlanga, Iwata; Marquez, Bilen, Bale; Koprivcic (Browne, 81), Dickinson (Tade, 64), Krishna

Referee: Bakary Gassama (Gambia)

Auckland City