Cruz Azul’s run in the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco ended unceremoniously on Saturday with a loss in the third-place game to an amateur club from New Zealand with a knack for springing upsets.
Auckland City topped the CONCACAF champions 4-2 on penalties after the teams played to a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes of regulation. Auckland City’s Ryan de Vries scored in the second minute of first-half stoppage time before João Rojas leved the match for Cruz Azul in the 57th minute, and there was no extra time played before the teams stepped to the spot in the penalty shootout.
The win was the latest in a string of surprising results for Auckland City, who beat hosts Moghreb Tetouan in the opening game and African champions ES Setif before losing in extra time to Argentine power San Lorenzo in the semifinals.
This was the best finish in six Club World Cup appearances for Auckland City, who in 2009 became the first amateur team to win a match in the tournament en route to finishing fifth.
Cruz Azul, meanwhile, struggled to deal with the hangover of a semifinal loss to Real Madrid, who won the title on Saturday with a 2-0 win over San Lorenzo.
The last CONCACAF team to reach the semifinals was Monterrey, who finished third in 2012.
