AkCity FC At The FIFA World Club Cup
Does that mean an extra $500k USD for AuckCFC?
Great result Auckland, 2 wins at the tournament, bloody brilliant !!!!!!!!!
Does that mean an extra $500k USD for AuckCFC?
Yup.
Auckland City FC = 5th at the CWC.
Auckland City will not lift the trophy on Saturday. Paul Posa�s part-timers have, nevertheless, revelled in an almighty success story in Abu Dhabi.
The 2004-founded New Zealanders arrived at UAE 2009 having lost their previous two FIFA Club World Cup matches, failing to score and conceding five times in the process. They will return home having won twice and finished fifth, courtesy of today's dramatic 3-2 reverse of ten-man TP Mazembe.
Jason Hayne put Auckland ahead after they had been placed at a numerical advantage, and he made it 2-2 after the Congolese giants had mounted a stirring comeback. Then, with the four minutes of allocated added time almost up, Riki van Steeden slotted home the winner against the run of play to spark euphoria among his club's staff.
The game began at a lethargic pace, with Mazembe enjoying the territorial advantage but failing to test Auckland goalkeeper Paul Gothard despite half-chances falling to Kazembe Mihayo and Mulota Kabangu.
The game swung in the Oceania side�s favour on 24 minutes, however, when Chad Coombes�s defence-splitting pass sent Daniel Koprivcic in behind the Africans� defence. Goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba dashed from his area to divert the danger, but handled the ball and was duly sent off.
Aime Bakula rose from the bench, replacing Luyeye Mvete, to assume the Mazembe gloves, but five minutes later he was picking the ball out of his net. Adam Dickinson sprayed a long ball forward from the right-back position, setting up a sprint for the ball between Hayne and Bakula. The latter got there first, chested it past the former, and slotted it into the vacant goal from the edge of the box.
The remainder of the half was void of any clear opportunities.
The second half, in contrast to the first, sprung into life. Substitute Daniel Morgan sent Hayne bearing down on goal on 52 minutes but, instead of squaring the ball to the unmarked Grant Young, the No16 took on the shot himself and hit it straight at Bakula.
Mabi Mbuto then flashed his threat, spinning impressively on the edge of the Auckland penalty area before smashing the ball high and wide. Mazembe did manage an equaliser on the hour mark, though, a 25-yard bullet from Ngandu Kasongo flying into Gothard�s top right-hand corner.
Didier Garzitto's charges had found their rhythm and they then laid siege to their adversaries� goal. First, a Mulota Kabangu cross afforded Kilitcho Kasusula a shot, seven yards out, which Gothard did superbly to divert over the crossbar with his legs. Mputo headed narrowly wide from the resulting corner.
Kasusula eventually got his goal on 68 minutes, though it was indebted to the ingenuity of Mputo. The Mazembe captain employed a sumptuous back-heel to send the No3 roaring into the box, and he smashed the ball into the roof of the net with the aid of a slight deflection.
Auckland�s response was swift in coming. The ball deflected into the path of Young, whose eight-yards effort was bravely blocked by Bakula, only for Hayne to thunder the rebound into the roof of the net from 12 yards.
Mazembe spurned a great chance to regain the lead on 78 minutes, with Ngandu Kasongo unable to divert Mputo�s mish*t shot home from close range.
A huge roar went up on 84 minutes, when the big screens focused on Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, who was watching the action.
Dioko Kaluyituka then wasted two golden opportunities to snatch the contest's fifth goal. First, he spun his marker before striking the ball agonisingly across the goal and out for a goal-kick. Then, he hit the side-netting from an encouraging position inside the area.
The game needed a hero and deep, deep into added time, one emerged. His name was Riki van Steeden, who burst into the Mazembe box, collected Young�s pass and slotted the ball past Bakula for a dramatic winner.
The day belonged to Auckland City.
Told you that they had a weak defence. Auckland played their cards right and generally the africans shot off target.
26 Shots 12
9 Corner kicks 4
1 Yellow cards 1
0 Second yellow card and red card 0
1 Red Cards �0
63% Possession (%) �37%AllWhitebelievr2009-12-17 04:31:28
Did you see Atlante is 1 nil up over Barcelona with half an hour gone.
Spoke too soon, 1-1 after 36 minsedward l2009-12-17 05:37:06
Become professional and join the A-league? :D
edit: btw what were the odds for this? [tab]
Therk2009-12-17 06:36:16
I�m writing from Ukraine to express my rapture about performance shown by NZ football national team and Auckland City FC this year. I hope this magic time of New Zealand football will be continued in the future and people around the world will know your country not only as rugby nation but as football too. I know it will be difficult but there is nothing impossible. Have no doubt there are people in such distant countries who root for NZ football teams in international tournaments.
I�m writing from Ukraine to express my rapture about performance shown by NZ football national team and Auckland City FC this year. I hope this magic time of New Zealand football will be continued in the future and people around the world will know your country not only as rugby nation but as football too. I know it will be difficult but there is nothing impossible. Have no doubt there are people in such distant countries who root for NZ football teams in international tournaments.
Does Terry S have a brother who lives in Auckland?
NZ news said that AC's total prize money for 5th is $NZ2.2 million. Quite q lot of that goes to NZF to be shared around the other clubs....players get a whack and the rest goes to AC.
wow that's revolutionaryjames dean2009-12-17 11:22:35
wow that's revolutionary
A-League. Simple really.
Firstly, I don't think it's a goer except if Waitakere is involved as well. Secondly, we need a better venue. North Harbour is cursed.
A-League. Simple really.
A-League. Simple really.
wow that's revolutionary
I would love to see this
I think Hayne is the best ACFC player at CWC. My applause also for Vicelich and, of course, Posa who is the most successful NZFC coach for the time being. It was interesting decision of Posa to use Hayne at the right flank (the same as Coombes at the right flank of defense in the first 2 games). By the way, have any of fans met the team at the airport? They deserved it.
wow that's revolutionary