Reality check for City

The Auckland City football side were brought back to reality on Sunday morning, losing 3-0 to Mexican champions Atlante FC in their Club World Cup quarter-final clash at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City.

Earlier in the tournament City stunned most pundits with an amazing 2-0 victory over United Arab Emirates champions Al Ahli. But this time it wasn’t to be.

Atlante dominated the possession against their amateur rivals, with City left to feed on scraps as the teams challenged for the right to face European champions Barcelona in today’s semifinal.

Daniel Arreola opened the scoring nine minutes before halftime.

After Ki Hyung Lee, Chad Coombes, Adam Dickinson, Jason Hayne and Adam McGeorge all spurned chances to level the scores, Christian Bermudez doubled the Mexicans’ advantage on the scoreboard in the 69th minute.

Lucas Silva’s third goal, in injury time, accurately reflected the victors’ on-field dominance.

The loss sees City take on TP Mazembe, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, at 2am tomorrow in a fifth place play-off worth an additional US$500,000 to the winners.

Winning the Oceania Champions League has already earned the club US$500,000, while beating Al Ahli secured another half million.

Auckland picks up a high percentage of the winnings, while the balance will be spread between the coffers of New Zealand Football and the seven other clubs in the New Zealand Football Championship. But there’ll be no rest for City when they finally come home – they face third-placed Youngheart Manawatu in the NZFC at Kiwitea Street from 2pm on Sunday, barely 24 hours after flying in.

Meanwhile in women’s action Auckland prevailed 4-2 over Mainland Football on Sunday.

The win sets up Auckland for a fifth successive National Women’s League grand final against arch-rivals Capital Football at Bayer Growers Stadium in Pukekohe on Sunday from 1pm.

Against the Mainland side, Rebecca Tegg opened the scoring for the "A Team" with a 20m strike just nine minutes into the match.

Three Kings United’s Anna Green doubled their advantage in the 27th minute, smashing home a volley on receipt of a Briony Fisher throw-in.

Tegg was denied a clear-cut penalty seconds later, but there was to be no denying Auckland in the 54th minute, with Melissa Ray, Fisher and Tegg combining to set up Green for their third goal of the game.

Former Lynn-Avon United star Sara Clapham pulled one back in spectacular fashion for Mainland 17 minutes from time. But Tegg made the game safe with seven minutes remaining, heading home Kirsty Yallop’s free-kick at the near post soon after Auckland’s captain had clipped the crossbar with a 20m effort.

Ella Wiebe’s stunning strike for the visitors three minutes from time brought about the final 4-2 scoreline.

- © Fairfax NZ News