On the ball: A match more of misses than hits

The match between Atlante of Mexico and Auckland City of New Zealand was a one-sided show and it was not a surprise.

Observers expected the Mexican side to beat New Zealand's semi-professionals with a bigger margin than 3-0.

This was because of the difference in how the game of football is rated in the two countries and how the public follow it.

This dictates how much money is spent on the game which has turned to be a business that needs substantial investments for success.

In fact Atlante's 75 per cent ball possession was more evident in the lost chances than in the three goals they scored. The trouble with the Mexicans was that they had watched the first match of Auckland and knew their weaknesses.

This probably prompted the Mexicans to take their rivals for granted. Otherwise they would have focused more converting the chances that came their way.

Auckland could not be blamed for being just pushovers. They did their best but their best was not enough. Federico Vilar, the captain and custodian of Atlante, had a quiet night at Zayed Sports City without being really tested with even a single direct shot by the New Zealanders. They could take only two shots at the target but both were intercepted by the defenders.

And as both teams knew their true worth, they adopted different approaches to the match. The Mexicans came to score as many goals as they could and the New Zealanders to concede the least so Atlante was doing all the attack and Auckland were defending.

Paul Posa, the Auckland coach, tried using his best bet, the 38-year-old South African striker Grant Young. But he was ineffectual. Although he has earned a name as a killer in the New Zealand's football circuit, the opposition here was far stronger than any on offer back home.

The winning mentality is part of a tradition to achieve victories. Altante were more accustomed to winning, being founded in 1916, than Auckland City, who were founded only in 2004 when their main striker, Young, was already 33.