Abu Dhabi: Auckland City have landed in the UAE at the back of tremendous run of form. The Oceania representatives at the Fifa Club World Cup are currently at the top of their national league — ISPS Handa Premiership.
Having been at their dominant best, they will be keen to continue in the same vein and will be looking to stun hosts Al Jazira in the opener on December 6.
After beginning the season with a loss and a draw in their local league, Auckland City has recorded five wins in a row, scoring 23 goals and conceding just one. Their unbeaten run is also their best effort in the history of the competition.
In the last outing before heading for the UAE, they thrashed Kiwitea St 5-0 with forwards Emiliano Tade from Argentina and Ryan de Vries both scoring a brace each while fullback Dan Morgan completed the tally.
The Navy Blues under Spanish manager Ramon Tribulietx has already started their preparation in Dubai and even played friendly against Al Ittihad Kalba.
The match ended in a 0-0 draw but Tribulietx won’t be worried much as the contest was immediately after their tiring 17-hour long flight to the UAE.
This is Auckland City’s ninth appearance in the showpiece event, seventh in a row, after making their debut in 2007 as the first amateur side to feature in the tournament.
Five of Auckland City’s participations have come with the tournament in Japan, where they have struggled each time having pitted against J-League winners.
In the remaining three appearances — in the UAE in 2009, and in Morocco in 2013 and 2014 — they had beaten the local champions in the playoff twice, losing the other match only in the stoppage time of second half. Their best finish came in 2014 - a bronze medal following a shootout win over Mexican Club Cruz Azul.
In 2009, they beat the UAE champions Al Ahli 2-0 in the first game before stunning African champions TP Mazembe 3-2 to finish fifth. In the match against Mazembe, the ace midfielder Morgan made a telling appearance as a 19-year-old. He will be once again be one of the mainstays in Auckland City’s quest for success at Club World Cup.
Now 27, Morgan went down the memory lane with FIFA.com on his first trip to the UAE and his maiden appearance at Club World Cup.
“It was a strange feeling to get the call-up but once you are on the pitch you’re too focused on your job to be distracted,” he recalled adding that winning the first game was special.
“It was great to win the first match and then beating the champions of Africa at such a young age was awesome. I hope we can repeat something similar this time,” said Morgan who also recollected setting up the goal.
“Getting high up the pitch then hearing a voice behind him screaming for the ball and it was our central defender Riki van Steeden.
“I wondered what Riki was doing so far away from where he should be, but I cut the ball back anyway and he hit it perfectly and it ended up in the back of the net. Riki hadn’t started many games at the tournament and so it was a great moment for him and for all of us.”
