As it happened: Auckland City knocked out of Club World Cup after top performance by Al Jazira keeper

December 7, 2017

Relive 1 NEWS NOW's live updates of this morning's FIFA Club World Cup match between Auckland City FC and Al Jazira at Hazza Bin Zayed Staadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

FT: AJA 1-0 AKL

Whistle goes and it's over. Auckland City are out. It was a great game of football but they just couldn't figure out how to get past Khalif. Still dominated the stats in the second half but the final touch just never came. That'll do it for us. 

90+2min: AJA 1-0 AKL

AJA SAVE! And there's another top save! Auckland roll the dice down the left side and fire it in but Khalif reads it once more and smothers the ball. With just two left, they probably won't get another chance like that.

90min: AJA 1-0 AKL

Four minutes of added time here. Al Jazira's last sub is a defender. This is it. 

88min: AJA 1-0 AKL

Two minutes left and Auckland is playing forward now. Howieson gets another ball at the top but he's launched it high. That may have been the last chance.

85min: AJA 1-0 AKL

Auckland get the ball into the box but there's only two of them and six Al Jazira defenders waiting. Two shots are deflected before the ref gives a free kick for a hand ball. 5 to go. Has Auckland got something up their sleeve? 

82min: AJA 1-0 AKL

AKL SAVE! Zubikarai joins the party with a good save of his own but its foiled moments later by a poor challenge from one of his defenders. Close free kick coming up and Auckland is making a wall.

80min: AJA 1-0 AKL

AJA SAVE! Auckland get a free kick from 30m out. They go for the glory goal and Khasif reads it easily. 10 to go.

76min: AJA 1-0 AKL

AKL CORNER! Auckland aren't letting up here as they get more and more relentless with the attack. The only problem is they seem to be missing that last touch. That and Khasif is having the performance of his life. Kick comes in but its off target and thumped away downfield.

75min: AJA 1-0 AKL

AJA SAVE! Another save! Khasif is having a brilliant night. Much better attack from Auckland as they move the ball down the left. The ball comes in with a cross, it's perfect, Auckland are there to meet it but Khasif reads it again and locks it down!

73min: AJA 1-0 AKL

AJA SAVE! Khasif makes another save but this is the easiest of the night. Auckland get the space and its Tade looking to strike, but he keeps it low and straight at the keeper! Not the kind of shot he would have wanted to put up for sure.

71min: AJA 1-0 AKL

Al Jazira get a free kick near the box but it's too high as well. Auckland City immediately respond with a counter attack but it's nullified in midfield.

67min: AJA 1-0 AKL

Tavano lets one rip from deep but it is well and curling away to the left of the left post. Looking a little desperate now.

64min: AJA 1-0 AKL

AKL CORNER! Another corner, another floated ball missed. Auckland struggling to convert their opportunities and Al Jazira are happy to wind the clock down.

59min: AJA 1-0 AKL

McCowatt is off for Auckland. He's had a good night tonight with some darting runs and a couple nice touches near the box. Al Jazira restart things with a throw in on halfway.

57min: AJA 1-0 AKL

First change of the match is from Al Jazira. Auckland are looking very positive with ball in hand but they can't quite get it to find the net just yet.

54min: AJA 1-0 AKL

Pressure is buiilding here. Auckland get another ball into the box and Howieson lets fly again. But it's deflected away off an Al Jazira defender and Auckland retain the ball. How long can Al Jazira keep this up?

51min: AJA 1-0 AKL

AJA SAVE! Another amazing save from Khasif! Brilliant ball in from McCowatt on the right and Al Jazira deflect. It sits up perfect for Howieson and he lets one rip from the top of the box but Khasif reads and deflects it for a corner. That ball came in at pace! 

48min: AJA 1-0 AKL

Stoppage in play as one of the Al Jazira players go down. Auckland get things going again and earn themselves a free kick on halfway.

45min: AJA 1-0 AKL

Back underway with Auckland.

HT: AJA 1-0 AKL

The free kick misses the mark and rolls into touch for halftime. Good contest in the first 45 but Al Jazira have taken their chances better despite having less. Auckland dominating the stats with 60 per cent possession, 5 shots and two on target with four corners - All Al Jazira have is one shot but that's the one that counts at the moment. We'll be back shortly with the second 45.

45min: AJA 1-0 AKL

Just one minute of added time and Auckland has a free kick.

44min: AJA 1-0 AKL

Bit of argy-bargy going on in the last 5 min and the ref has had enough. He calls the players in, gets them to shake hands and indicates the next bit of sillyness is a yellow.

41min: AJA 1-0 AKL

AKL CORNER! White is back on the field and immediately making an impact. He charges in from the right wing into the box and he's looking for a target, can't find anyone as he's contested and gives his team a corner. This time it's just a wild kick in and no one goes up for it. Missed chance.

38min: AJA 1-0 AKL

AJA GOAL! Romarinho comes up with a beautiful finish and Al Jazira take the lead. The Brazilian starts things off down the left and feeds it towards the box. Back heel back to him and he feeds forward again, deflected but it sits up nicely for him 5m outside the box and he lets one rip. Stays low and it finds the net in the bottom left corner.  

35min: AJA 0-0 AKL

There's a stoppage in play and it's White that is down. This will be a big loss for Auckland. White fed a ball into the box on the right but as he did he slid and his foot collided with the advertsiing boards. He's gripping at his ankle. He's coming off.

30min: AJA 0-0 AKL

AJA SAVE! First real scoring chance of the night for either team goes to Auckland as they catch Al Jazira off guard with a forward ball. It goes down the left wing and is fed to McCowatt in the middle. He lets rip and Khasif dives to his right to make the save. Brilliant read but a confidence booster for Auckland there.

28min: AJA 0-0 AKL

Ball holding up around midfield as both teams are getting more pressing in contesting possession. A reminder this match must have a winner so if there's no goals after regular time it'll head to extras and after that, a shootout.

24min: AJA 0-0 AKL

AKL CORNER! Third corner coming up as Auckland finally pull the trigger and look to get the ball in the box. Al Jazira respond and send the ball dead. Corner comes in and Auckland connect but it's a free kick to Al Jazira after a poor contest in the air.

21min: AJA 0-0 AKL

Al Jazira really upping the attack now. Crowd starting to get behind them as they try a cross into box but this Auckland defence continues to defuse it. Al Jazira gets a throw in, they go quick and try another feed in but it's shut down once more. Auckland are off and running on the counter-attack but slow the tempo down at halfway.

19min: AJA 0-0 AKL

Al Jazira loft another ball in but the contest results in a free kick to Auckland City. Auckland definitely have had more ball here but Al Jazira are starting to get good chances with the small amount of possession they've had.

16min: AJA 0-0 AKL

Al Jazira look threatening again as they feed a ball to dangerman Mabkhout near the box. He looks to run but is shut down by a brilliant tackle from Berlanga. Pressure diverted.

13min: AJA 0-0 AKL

AKL CORNER! Another corner coming up. First one floated in too high. This one comes in and it's the same issue. Al Jazira survive and get a throw in.

12min: AJA 0-0 AKL

AKL CORNER! Auckland counter perfectly and get down to the box with ease. It's sitting at the top of the box, they let one rip and it's deflected ! Was definitely on target. First corner of the night coming up!

11min: AJA 0-0 AKL

Al Jazira get their first chance and it comes from a ball lofted into the box but a wall of Blue greets it and Iwata headers it away to safety and the sideline. Al Jazira try a quick throw in but it goes to custard and Auckland get the ball.

8min: AJA 0-0 AKL

Wild shot from outside the box for McCowatt and it sails well wide of the right post for Auckland's first attempt. All the possession has belong to the NZ club so far.

6min: AJA 0-0 AKL

Auckland starting to figure this defence out and getting good territory. The Al Jazira defence keeps rushing and Auckland keep drawing them in to find holes and move up the field. First free kick of the contest comes after an Al Jazira defender arrives late with a poor contest. Auckland free kick just inside Al Jazira's half coming up.

3min: AJA 0-0 AKL

Al Jazira have been very pressing to start things off. An early forward ball is shut down by Zubikarai and Auckland respond with a ball up the left sideline. Al Jazira's defence is happy to challenge constantly though and keep forcing throw-ins. They finally get the pressure right and force a turnover midfield.

KICKOFF

We're underway in Abu Dhabi! Al Jazira get things going. Clear night, nice crowd but not sold out. Should be some good football.

Coach Ramon Tribulietx says the team will take this year's tournament step-by-step and see what happens.

PRE-MATCH

Forward Fabrizio Tavano is relishing his second stint with Auckland City as the Navy Blues prepare to tackle yet another Club World Cup.

Auckland meet UAE team Al Jazira in their first match early tomorrow in the United Arab Emirates, with the winner advancing to the quarter-finals against Japan team Urawa Red Diamonds

Tavano was a key figure in Auckland's run to a bronze medal win over Cruz Azul in Morocco three years ago, and has returned after a short spell in Mexican football with Tigres de la UANL in 2015.

The 24-year-old played as a centre forward for the Navy Blues following the injury to star striker Joao Moreira during that tournament and shone brightly.

He doesn't get carried away by those past successes, however, and says the key to putting together a winning start is purely down to focus.

"I don't think about what happens in the Club World Cup outside of the first game. The other possibilities don't come to my mind. I just focus on playing the first game as if it will be the last game I ever play in my life," he said.

"We know the first game is always the most important game and we will be giving more than 100 per cent to win it.

"If we get a good result against Al Jazira, OK, then we look at what happens next. At the moment there is no other team, no other game, only Al Jazira."

Tavano says Al Jazira, the UAE league title winners, present a difficult challenge with a different style of play.

"We need to be focused and play them as if this is going to be the last game we ever play in our lives."

TEAMS

AJA (4-2-3-1): 1. Khasif, 40. Al Attas, 4. Ali Ayed, 5. Fayez, 12. Obaid, 44. Juma, 14. Al Otaiba, 15. Mubarak, 31. Romarinho, 10. Boussoufa, 7. Mabkhout

AJA Subs: Aleedo, Khalfan, Rashidov, Al Hosani, Abdullah, Ramadan, Al-Senani, Ghilani, Alhammadi, Al-Ameri, Al Hashmi, Ibrahim

AKL (4-3-3): 1. Zubikarai, 3. Iwata, 16. Kim, 5. Berlanga, 9. White, 7. Howieson, 8. Riera, 11. Tavano, 26. McCowatt, 10. De Vries, 20. Tade

AKL Subs: Graham, Bilen, Hudson-Wihongi, Bright, Rogers, Morgan, Drake, Lea'alafa, Edge, Dordevic, Tracey, Brown

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