Argentine media have labelled Auckland City FC’s 1-1 draw with Boca Juniors at the Fifa Club World Cup an “embarrassment” after the South American giants failed to advance to the knockout stage.
Boca Juniors went into the final group match needing Portuguese side Benfica to lose to Bayern Munich andalso needing a big win over Auckland City FC. That seemed likely after the Auckland side suffered a 10-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, followed by a 6-0 loss to Benfica.
But with Benfica upsetting Bayern 1-0, Boca Juniors’ hopes were already dashed as they waited out a weather delay in Nashville.
By then, Auckland City FC had stunned them with an equaliser to make it 1-1, which remained the final score – despite the Argentine side having 40 shots.
Here’s how their media reacted to the 1-1 draw. Stories are translated from Spanish.
Boca Juniors’ embarrassment at the Club World Cup ... After two strong matches against Benfica (2-2) and Bayern Munich [losing 2-1] ... the Xeneize were held to a draw by Auckland City in Nashville and were eliminated.
The club from La Ribera led by a goal conceded by Nathan Garrow, but the semi-professional New Zealand side equalised through Christian Gray, who works as a teacher at a school in his home country. They finished third in Group C with two points, behind the leaders of Portugal with seven, and the Germans second with six.
Boca Juniors were eliminated in the worst possible way.
They barely drew with a weak Auckland City and their dreams were dashed.
Auckland City's Christian Gray celebrates after scoring against Boca Juniors. Photo / Getty Images
Boca Juniors bowed out of the Club World Cup with a historic embarrassment: they failed to beat Auckland City, a team made up of amateur players. The initial objective was to score a goal and hope for a defeat [by Bayern Munich inflicted] against Benfica [who won 1-0], but Xeneize never found a way around a rival that closed well in defence and exposed the enormous limitations of Miguel Ángel Russo’s team.
‘School teacher tied the game’
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From flirting with qualification to not beating a team made up of teachers, sheet metal workers, hairdressers, among other trades, who play football in their free time.
The difference in performance was too abrupt, a pronounced and vertical drop in the team’s level, which ended up looking more like the one that collapsed against Alianza Lima than the one that almost beat Benfica and almost tied with Bayern, with a mental and physical commitment that was not shown even remotely against Auckland City.
And this Boca Juniors, who competed with two good European clubs, couldn’t beat a team that was more semi-professional than professional, having conceded 16 goals in two matches.
A school teacher tied the game, on an afternoon in which Russo’s team showed alarming impotence from three-quarters of the field forward and at all times it was clear that the six goals they had to score for the heroic [result] were light years away from being a reality, despite the fact that Benfica [were] doing their part, and Bayern too, although Boca [are] not in a position to demand from others what they were not able to do for themselves.
Auckland City goalkeeper Nathan Garrow leaps for the ball against Boca Juniors. Photo / Photosport
The steamy conditions did little to dampen the spirits of the passionate Boca supporters, who spent the duration of the match singing to the beat of drums, including during the weather delay when many refused calls to head to the concourse.
‘It was difficult’
After the match, the Boca Juniors coach admitted the rain delay and knowing their tournament hopes were dashed played a part in their performance.
“Until their goal, it was all ours,” the Boca Juniors coach said after the game.
“The delay ... We knew the result of Bayern against Benfica ... It was difficult. The slump came because we came into the game and everything was already decided.”
