In The End, Auckland City's FIFA Club World Cup Involvement Came Good
Christian Gray (left) produced one of the moments of the tournament so far.
Back home in New Zealand, Christian Gray will soon be sharing something special with his students. They may even already know.
As he and his Auckland City teammates approached their final Group C encounter with Boca Juniors at FIFA's Club World Cup in the United States on Tuesday, they would have feared the worst. Already eliminated from the tournament, Auckland, a semi-professional team, had let in 10 (ten) goals against Bayern Munich and six against Benfica.
Meanwhile, Boca's hopes of qualification from the group hung in the balance; it required a Bayern victory in the other game and a goal rush, a possibility against the underdog, whose players work full-time jobs or study outside of soccer. As it happened, neither transpired.
Not only that, Auckland produced one of the shocks of the competition—a highlight from a group stage that has seen Botofogo defeat Paris Saint-Germain and Flamengo upend Chelsea. Trailing in the second half, a corner arrived, and trainee teacher Gray nodded in a precious goal, which ultimately earned a point against a giant of South American soccer, one that has lifted the Copa Libertadores trophy six times and previously boasted the talents of legendary Diego Maradona. Despite Boca knowing elimination loomed large, it was impressive.
Standing Proud
Auckland City's players' market values are in the thousands of dollars, far adrift of the million-dollar mark—this in a tournament where the finest soccer talents are worth around nine figures in the transfer market. Their professions range from sales representatives to community coaches, and Auckland's winnings of roughly €4 million ($4.5 million) from the Club World Cup—peanuts to elite clubs—is a fortune for an entity and federation not used to dealing in such sums.
Auckland's ratio of goals conceded to goals scored was 17:1 in the United States.
The side qualified for the event as a top performer in its region. Had professional outfits from Australia been competing in the OFC Champions League—for clubs from Oceania—rather than with Asia's finest in the AFC Champions League, one of them might have made the Club World Cup in Auckland's place. 'Oceania's club football is deeply rooted in local communities, similar to Europe, although most clubs remain amateur,' the Auckland City general manager, Gordon Watson, told me before the U.S. adventure. 'We recognise the challenges, particularly around resources, but our key strength lies in our people.'
FIFA's transformed competition is now heating up. The knockout stages see an all-Brazilian contest between Botofogo and Palmeiras, European matchups Benfica versus Chelsea and Real Madrid against Juventus, Flamengo's samba flair against Bayern Munich's precision, and Inter Miami's Lionel Messi facing ex-employer Paris Saint-Germain. Inter Milan vs. Fluminense, Manchester City vs. Al-Hilal, and Borussia Dortmund vs. Monterrey complete an intriguing set.
Meanwhile, Auckland City, not to be confused with Auckland FC, is switching focus to games in the country's more modest regional leagues. It's a name that, for all its local identity, has taken on all comers around the globe and achieved a third-place finish at the Club World Cup in 2014. Now, after exiting the latest installment with the memory of a famous goal and result, which its outfield players could barely believe, it can consider the experience a success. FIFA's controversial Club World Cup is a work in progress. At least Auckland City's ride ended well.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
8 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Nick Martinez and Spencer Steer just miss making history in Reds' 8-1 win over Padres
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds were on the verge of making history twice Friday night against the San Diego Padres. Nick Martinez was three outs away from becoming the 18th pitcher in Reds franchise history to toss a no-hitter, and first baseman Spencer Steer was one swing away from becoming the second Reds player to homer four times in a game. But, both Martinez and Steer fell short. It was still a memorable night at Great American Ball Park as Cincinnati beat San Diego 8-1 for their eighth win in 12 games. Martinez (5-8) didn't allow a hit until pinch-hitter Elias Diaz doubled off the left-center field wall in the ninth. Martinez matched his career high with 112 pitches. He walked two and struck out six before giving way to Taylor Rogers, who sealed the win. Martinez retired 22 straight batters between a walk in the first inning and another to Trenton Brooks to start the ninth. It was the longest no-hit bid against the Padres since Arizona's Tyler Gilbert completed the feat on Aug. 14, 2021. 'That's as nervous as I've been in a long, long time,' Reds manager Terry Francona said. 'They say good things happen to good people. What he did this week going to the bullpen. He deserved that.' It was a far cry from Martinez's last start on June 19, when he allowed seven earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in a 12-5 loss to the Twins. His next two appearances came in relief, tossing three scoreless innings. 'My last start, focus wasn't quite there, got shelled, which isn't fun,' the 34-year-old right-hander said. 'Coming out of the pen allowed me to simplify things. It definitely helped me tonight.' Martinez came within three outs of the first no-hitter by a Reds pitcher since Wade Miley on May 7, 2021, in a 3-0 win at Cleveland. Steer homered in the second inning and again in the fourth off Padres right-hander Dylan Cease. He then hit a two-run homer in the fifth off lefty Yuki Matsui. He came to bat leading off the eighth and struck out on a 3-2 pitch from David Morgan. 'With the score being 8-0 and it being the eighth inning, I can say that for the first time in my life, I didn't want to walk,' Steer said. 'I was trying to give myself a chance to hit a fourth. You never know how many opportunities you'll get at that.' It's the first career three-homer game for Steer, who has nine homers this season. The only other Reds player to go deep four times in a game was Scooter Gennett on June 6, 2017, against the Cardinals, also at Great American Ball Park. Steer said his golf game on Thursday's off day offered no indication that he'd have a big day at the plate on Friday. 'I shanked every shot I hit in the front nine,' he said, smiling. Following his third homer, Steer refused to grant the crowd's request for a curtain call. 'He's so humble, he wasn't comfortable coming out,' Francona said. 'Part of me thinks it's cool that he's so modest that he just doesn't want to do it.' The possibility of a no-hitter and a four-homer game on the same night seemed unlikely, until Friday. 'That would have been one hell of a night,' Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson said. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Far from their best, Dodgers find a way to beat Royals and move into MLB wins lead
Dodgers starting pitcher Dustin May delivers during the first inning of a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press) Dave Roberts has a high bar for his $400 million baseball team. Sure, the Dodgers entered Friday winners of 13 of their 17, tied for the best overall record in baseball, and leading the National League West by six games. Advertisement Sure, they already have one guaranteed All-Star in Shohei Ohtani, and seven other finalists who advanced to the second stage of fan voting that will begin next week. But, in the eyes of their manager, 'I still just don't believe we're playing our best baseball,' Roberts said Friday afternoon. 'I don't think we've played complete baseball for a stretch.' Read more: Why Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have struggled at the plate lately for the Dodgers On Friday night, the Dodgers still weren't at their best. Dustin May managed just four innings in a four-run start. The lineup produced only four total hits. Teoscar Hernández made a defensive blunder in the outfield. And the bullpen danced in and out of trouble down the stretch. Advertisement But right now, amid this soft portion of the team's schedule, flawed performances have often still been enough. And in Friday's 5-4 win over the badly slumping Kansas City Royals, that once again proved to be the case. Shohei Ohtani hits a home run in the first inning against the Royals on Friday. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press) For all the Dodgers' shortcomings, they did just enough to compensate in a series opener at Kauffman Stadium. May gave up a run in the first after letting three straight batters reach with two outs … but not before Ohtani opened the scoring with a leadoff blast. Hernández let a hard-hit but very-much-catchable line drive get over his head in right field in the third, fueling a three-run Royals rally that was punctuated by Bobby Witt Jr.'s two-run blast … but that was sandwiched by a two-run Max Muncy homer in the second, and a game-tying triple from Ohtani in the fifth. Advertisement Mookie Betts eventually put the Dodgers in front one at-bat after Ohtani's triple, singling him home to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead. And though May's high pitch count forced him to exit early against the Royals (38-44), a worn-down Dodgers bullpen patched together five scoreless frames, escaping their biggest jam in the ninth when closer Tanner Scott induced a game-ending double-play with the bases loaded. It wasn't pretty, but it was still enough to move the Dodgers into sole possession of the best record in the majors at 52-31. That extended stretch of dominance is still eluding them. But for now, they're finding ways to win anyway. Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
5 Things You May Have In Common With Every Millionaire
Are you on the path to becoming a millionaire? If you want to know for sure, it's good to see what millionaires already have. Even better, see which money habits they all seem to have in common. You can do this research yourself, but why do that when you can get quick access to the five things every millionaire has in common? You might check off all five items on this list. In that case, you're on your way to a seven-figure portfolio. If not, it may be worth seeing how you can align your finances and goals to have these five traits. Don't Miss: GoSun's breakthrough rooftop EV charger already has 2,000+ units reserved — become an investor in this $41.3M clean energy brand today. Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Back a bold new approach to cancer treatment with high-growth potential. Millionaires make regular investments in assets like stocks and real estate that gain value over time. Stocks are the easiest asset to enter since they are highly liquid. Cryptocurrencies have the same convenience. You don't have to build or maintain a property to buy stocks and crypto. Real estate is another popular asset since people will always need places to live. Real estate also has unique tax advantages that you won't find with stocks. Most millionaires don't blow through their money, especially people who take decades to reach the seven-figure milestone with steady investments. They look for ways to save money, and one of the best ways to cut your expenses is by purchasing a used car that gets the job done. Used cars have already endured a lot of depreciation. It's better to get a car that has already lost value than it is to drive a new car and watch its value plummet the moment you pick it up from the dealership. Opting for more affordable cars will give you extra money to pour into your investments. Then, your wealth will compound faster and set you up for a seven-figure portfolio. Trending: This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to become a landlord in just 10 minutes, with minimum investments as low as $100. A college degree is not required to become a millionaire, but many of them have college degrees. It's more common for millionaires to get degrees from public state schools than top-tier private universities. Many people use their college degrees to pursue new career opportunities. It's better to have a college degree than it is to not have one. However, you shouldn't be discouraged if you do not have a college degree. Some people have become millionaires off a high school education. Many millionaires invest to build wealth, and they also tend to use 401(k) plans to boost their wealth. These accounts come with significant tax advantages, and most employers match a portion of your contributions. It's good to max out your 401(k) plan each year. Doing this for 20 years can help you establish a strong nest egg, and if you can max out your 401(k) plan for more than 20 years, that's even better. Plus, when you turn 50, you can make an annual catch-up contribution in addition to your regular contribution. Combine a 401(k) plan with an IRA, and you can contribute even more money to tax-advantaged accounts every year. The last thing most millionaires have in common is that they don't carry credit card balances. While any debt has interest, credit cards are notorious for their high rates. You can end up with an APR that's close to 30% if you don't manage your credit card debt and end up with a low FICO score. The best-case scenario is an APR of about 20% for most cardholders. Millionaires don't spend more than they make each month, making it easy to pay off their credit cards each month. By paying off their credit cards on time, millionaires avoid interest while enjoying all of the perks that come with having a credit card. See Next: $100k in assets? Maximize your retirement and cut down on taxes: Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey – no cost, no obligation. Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." Here's how you can earn passive income with just $100. Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article 5 Things You May Have In Common With Every Millionaire originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
