Billed as friendly, last night's match between Australia-bound Kuwait and Auckland City was, for the most part, just that with the visitors happy enough to go away victors.
But much of the life went from it as a contest when quick-draw referee Peter O'Leary sent lanky Kuwait midfielderFahad Alebrahim for a nasty tackle on Chad Coombes.
For the handful of 1982 All Whites at Kiwitea Street, last night's match brought back some memories of atempestuous encounter against the Arab nation at Mt Smart in 1981.
From the outset the visitors showed they liked to move the ball, play football and attack at every opportunity.
After weathering the early City storm - which looked good until they got in front of goal - the Kuwaitis increased the tempo constantly, asking questions of the Auckland defence in which rookie left back Jonathan Raj stood out.
In the 18th minute and two minutes after solitary striker Fahad Al-Rashidi had hit the post, Bader Almutwa raced through the City defence and angled home a well-struck low shot which goalkeeper Ross Nicholson did well to get a hand to but could not keep out.
On the half-hour the visitors doubled their advantage. Mesaed Alenzi played a pinpoint cross in from wide on the left to the far post from where Al-Rashidi headed the ball away from Nicholson for 2-0.
The closest Auckland came to cutting into the lead came late in the spell. Chad Coombes got his head to a good ball in from James Pritchett but could only glance it to goalkeeper Nawah Alkhaldi.
An even better chance fell to Greg Uhlmann but he failed to get a foot to the ball after Ivan Vicelich had glanced a Ki-Hyung Lee freekick to the back post.
The second half, with more changes to both teams than seen at Grand Central Station, fell away with City unable to take advantage of having the extra player.
The Kuwaitis play a second game against Waitakere United at Allen Hill Stadium on Friday night.
