Auckland City v Bayern Munich: 10 factors behind the Fifa Club World Cup mauling
Auckland City FC's 10-0 thumping at the hands of Bayern Munich was a new record defeat at a Fifa club tournament and also exceeded the previous-highest margin at a Fifa World Cup.
The amateur team were always going to be rank outsiders, in one of the greatest underdogs scenarios in
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NZ Herald
an hour ago
- NZ Herald
Fifa Club World Cup live updates: Auckland City FC v Benfica
Live updates of the Fifa Club World Cup pool match between Auckland City FC and Benfica. Auckland City FC thrashed by Bayern Munich This was what everyone had feared. When the draw was made for the new, expanded Fifa Club World Cup, the prospect of Auckland City FC taking on Bayern Munich sent shivers down the spine – and not in a good way. The Bundesliga giants, in their thoroughly efficient and professional way, were absolutely ruthless on Monday morning in Cincinnati, with a 10-0 thumping of the amateur National League team. They had six goals by halftime – before Auckland did well to stem the bleeding for more than 20 minutes. But Bayern found another gear, with four more in the final 25 minutes to reach double figures. And that was without England captain Harry Kane, who didn't find the net during his hour on the field. Midfielder Jamal Musiala – voted Germany's player of the year last season – got a second-half hat-trick, while French internationals Kingsley Coman and Michael Olise, along with veteran striker Tomas Muller all grabbed braces. Bayern enjoyed 72% possession, with 31 shots (17 on target), to Auckland City's two. This was a complete thumping but was always going to be, given the vast disparity between the two teams. Bayern Munich's squad is worth more than $1.5 billion; they are one of the biggest teams in Europe and the difference showed against the part-timers from Kiwitea Street. The German team were half a step quicker to everything: their passing, their movement and their ability to close down. It made every second of the contest a battle. But even given the scoreline – which will make for painful reading – Auckland City emerged with some credit. They defended manfully for periods, trying to keep a compact shape. The problem was, they almost never had a break, especially in the first half, as Bayern would immediately close any windows of possession. There will be critics of Auckland City's approach – as they retreated to a low block, often with 10 players behind the ball – which invited more pressure. But it is hard to think of what else they could have done, given Bayern's ability to hurt them from anywhere. The result also needs to be kept in perspective, as Bayern Munich have previously put six and seven goals past top-tier teams in Uefa Champions League matches. In terms of a margin of victory, it is the biggest at one of Fifa's annual club tournaments and also exceeds the previous record at a Fifa World Cup, eclipsing Hungary's 10-1 defeat of El Salvador in 1982. It was always going to be a battle, made even tougher in 26C heat in Ohio, with 75% humidity. The pattern was set from the kickoff, as Auckland City quickly retreated back to their defensive third, while Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was allowed to advance to the halfway line. The Sandringham-based club withstood the first five minutes – which included a fine Conor Tracey save, as he tipped a header over the bar. But the breakthrough came from the first corner, with Coman heading home from a well-worked move. Auckland City tried to play out – in rare moments of possession – but struggled to find teammates. After 15 minutes, the German team's average ball recovery time was 14 seconds, which meant almost constant pressure. But Auckland limited the damage until the 20th minute, with Nathan Lobo and David Yoo enjoying some moments out wide. But Bayern lifted the tempo in an instant, resulting in a three-goal salvo in four minutes. Sacha Boey lashed in on the angle before a simple finish for Olise at the far post, after Kane had mishit his attempt. Less than 60 seconds later, Bayern had their fourth, with 2022 Fifa World Cup finalist Coman's emphatic finish, after Auckland City had over-elaborated in midfield. At that stage, things were looking very dark for the New Zealand representatives but they managed to steady the ship, enjoying more than 20 minutes without concession. Tracey saved from Kane at his near post, before defying another opportunity minutes later. Unfortunately, there was a sting in the tail at the end of the half, as Auckland began to tire. Muller had a precise volley before the pick of the bunch, with Olise curling in from distance after beating two players. Auckland City resisted for the first 22 minutes of the second half, where they also had their first shot (through the tireless Lobo) and earned their first corner. They tried to defend a little higher, while Bayern were mainly restricted to shots from distance. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany had also rolled the substitutes, though it was a case of internationals replacing internationals. Kane departed after an hour, before Bayern substitute Musiala picked his spot for the seventh. Auckland's best moment came soon afterwards, as Dylan Manickum found himself in open pasture. He drew two defenders before finding Yoo in the area but the midfielder couldn't get his shot away. Musiala converted a soft penalty for the eighth, before a gift to complete his hat-trick, as a weary Tracey made his only blunder of the match, with his telegraphed pass out from the back. In the last 10 minutes Auckland finally enjoyed some space and time in Bayern's half, with a couple of promising moments, while substitute Angus Kilkolly had their first shot on target. But Muller finished off the scoring – as the physical exertions began to take a toll – for a perfect 10. Bayern Munich 10 (K Coman 6, Boey 18, Olise 20, Coman 21, T Muller 45, M Olise 45+3, J Musiala 67, 73 (pen ), 84, Muller 89)
Scoop
a day ago
- Scoop
Posa Returns For SL Benfica Match In Orlando
Press Release – Auckland City FC After a punishing 10-0 loss to Bayern Munich, the New Zealand side now face Portuguese powerhouse SL Benfica at Orlando's Inter&Co Stadium on June 20, in what could be a defining moment in Group C. Striker Myer Bevan, speaking after training in Chattanooga struck a tone of quiet determination: 'We've just got to move past that now and focus on the two games ahead.' The mood in camp is focused, not defeated. There's an understanding that while the odds are steep, the opportunity to compete on this stage is one they won't take for granted. SL Benfica, meanwhile, arrive in Orlando after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Boca Juniors. Their attacking quality is undeniable, Angel Di Maria, Nicolas Otamendi, and Vangelis Pavlidis bring UEFA Champions League pedigree. Bevan singled out Benfica's stars with admiration: 'Di Maria, obviously… and Otamendi – players like this have experienced the highest level for a very long time.' But he also hinted at a tactical opening: 'Maybe there's more space behind them… hopefully we can go at them as well as them coming at us.' Also bolstering the club's ranks is the return to the dugout of head coach Paul Posa who is back after a minor surgical procedure prevented him from travelling with the team on 2 June. The draw between SL Benfica and Boca Juniors means goal difference could be decisive, and the Navy Blues will be hoping they may find more room to operate if SL Benfica push forward aggressively. This isn't just about survival, it's about showing they belong. Auckland City FC know they're underdogs, but they've been here before. And in Orlando, under the Florida sun, they'll look to write a new chapter, one built on resilience, not reputation. Match Details FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP™ – Group C SL Benfica vs Auckland City FC Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, FL Friday, 20 June 2025, 12:00PM (Local Time) – Sat, 21 June 2025, 4:00 AM (NZT) AC SQUAD: 1. Conor TRACEY (GK) 2. Mario ILICH (C) 3. Adam MITCHELL 4. Christian GRAY 5. Nikko BOXALL, 6. Jackson MANUEL 7. Myer BEVAN 8. Gerard GARRIGA 9. Angus KILKOLLY 10. Dylan MANICKUM 11. Ryan DE VRIES 12. Regont MURATI 13. Nathan LOBO 14. Jordan VALE, 15. Jeremy FOO, 16. Joe LEE 17. Jerson LAGOS 18. Sebastian CIGANDA (GK) 19. Dylan CONNOLLY, 20. Matt ELLIS, 21. Adam KANUI BELL 22. Tong ZHOU 23. Alfie ROGERS, 24. Nathan GARROW (GK) 25. Michael DEN HEIJER, 26. David YOO, 27. Haris ZEB. HEAD COACH: Paul POSA ASSISTANT COACH: Ivan VICELICH ASSISTANT COACH: Adria CASALS ASSISTANT COACH: Daewook KIM GOALKEEPER COACH: Jonas HOFFMANN TECHNICAL ANALYST: Malte THESENVITZ PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE PHYSIO: Zara ELLIS PHYSIO: Natalia KOSINSKA TEAM DOCTOR: Craig PANTHER TEAM MANAGER: Keith COTON How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup ™ on DAZN DAZN is offering free access to all FIFA Club World Cup™ matches. Here's how you can tune in: Sign up for a free DAZN account – Simply register with your email address. No hidden costs or fees. Download the DAZN App – Available on your TV, phone, tablet, or streaming device via your app store. Watch on a laptop or PC – Visit Log in – Select 'Get Started' or 'Log In' and enter your email address. Enjoy the matches – You now have access to all of DAZN's free content, including the FIFA Club World Cup™. Note: If you are already a DAZN subscriber or Freemium member, the competition is included in your current membership. Be part of the FIFA Club World Cup™ action and get your tickets here If you want to catch every kick of the ball then sign up to DAZN NZ to stream our FCWC matches live and free!
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
FIFA Club World Cup: Auckland City seek bounceback against Benfica
Auckland City defender Adam Bell believes the underdogs have learnt from their overwhelming defeat to Bayern Munich. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Auckland City were on the wrong end of the biggest scoreline in FIFA Club World Cup history in their opening game of the tournament in the USA and are determined to show they are better than that against Benfica on Saturday morning. Defender Adam Bell said Auckland City were hit hard by the gulf between a side that had won in Europe and their own diet of domestic New Zealand competitions . "Going from playing domestically straight to one of the best teams, I think, in the world is obviously a big jump for anyone," Bell said of the 10-0 defeat to Bayern Munich. "Some things didn't go to plan as we wished. I think we would have liked a better scoreline than was shown, but I think we can't fault that we tried our best and gave it our all." Auckland City have been at the Club World Cup 11 times before and this is Bell's fourth time. "I do think that the level of Bayern Munich is definitely a drastic improvement from the teams we've played previously," he said. "They're obviously a much larger scale and being able to go through that benefits us heavily for the next games to come." Bell did not take the field against the German side, but said support from friends and family back at home had been welcome. "It's never easy coming from a hard loss, but the support in general has just been real positive and real proud. "I think we all have a good shot at proving ourselves to the world. "Benfica is a quite established side with big history, so we've got our tweaks that we think we need to adjust and, once again, we will just try to put our best performance on and bounce back." Bayern Munich's French defender Sacha Boey fights for the ball with Auckland City's New Zealander midfielder Dylan Manickum during the Club World Cup 2025. Photo: FEDERICO PARRA / AFP Two winless teams from Group C clash, after Benfica drew with Argentinians Boca Juniors 2-2 in their opening game. Benfica had Andrea Bellotti red-carded in that game, as they came back from a two-goal deficit to level the score. Before arriving in the USA, the Lisbon club won the Portuguese League Cup for the eighth time and finished second in the premier competition. Auckland City's first team were in winning form at home in the Northern League and Chatham Cup, and after heading stateside, won their first warm-up game against Philadelphia Union 2. City narrowly lost their second warm-up game against fellow Club World Cup side UAE giants Al Ain FC. The loss to Bayern Munich called into question Auckland's involvement in the expanded 32-team tournament as the only amateur side . "We go into these games understanding that we're the underdog, but I think one of the main things we can take away is that we've been through the first game now and we understand the level," Bell said. "I think we can learn from from that first game and take it into the next, and hopefully turn into a positive." Inter&Co Stadium is a 25,000-seat football (soccer-specific) stadium in downtown Orlando. The privately funded stadium, which cost $US155 million, opened in 2017 and has a four-sided canopy roof. The stadium is home to Major League Soccer side Orlando City and Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League. Auckland City against Benfica will be the last of two Club World Cup games hosted at the stadium. SL Benfica players Photo: VALTER GOUVEIA Auckland City: Conor Tracey, Areya Prasad, Nathan Garrow, Adam Mitchell, Christian Gray, Nikko Boxall, Regont Murati, Nathan Lobo, Jordan Vale, Dylan Connolly, Adam Bell, Zhou Tong, Alfie Rogers, Michael den Heijer, Ryan Ellis, Mario Ilich (captain), Gerard Garriga, Jeremy Foo, Matt Ellis, David Yoo, Kentaro Ozaki, Jackson Manuel, Paris Domfeh, Kailan Gould, Myer Bevan, Angus Kilkolly, Dylan Manickum, Ryan De Vries, Joseph Lee, Jerson Lagos, Haris Zeb. Benfica: Antonily Trubin, Diogo Ferreira, Andre Gomes, Alvaro Carreras, Antonio Silva, Samuel Dahl, Nicolas Otamendi, Rui Silva, Goncalo Oliveira, Joshua Wynder, Leandro Santos, Adrian Bajrami, Fredrik Aursnes, Orkun Kokcu, Leandro Barreiro, Florentino Luis, Joao Veloso, Rafael Luis, Joao Rego, Renato Sanches, Diogo Prioste, Angel di Maria, Vangelis Pavlidis, Kerem Akturkoglu, Andrea Belotti, Andreas Schjelderup, Gianluca Prestianni, Bruma, Tiago Gouveia, Eduardo Fernandes.
