Club World Cup: Boca is eliminated with a draw against proud, modest Auckland City

With a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Auckland City, a modest semi-professional team from New Zealand, Boca Juniors bid farewell to the Club World Cup on a gray, gloomy and bitter afternoon in Nashville. Against all odds, the xeneizes witnessed a feisty New Zealand team full of semi-professional players celebrate, writing a golden page of the tournament by earning a point against Argentina's most historic and popular team.

The result for Boca was as sad as the match itself: a fifty-minute suspension due to a "severe storm" alert meant that Miguel Ángel Russo's men played much of the second half, knowing they had no chance of continuing in the renewed FIFA tournament.

Upon their return to the Geodis Park pitch, Benfica of Portugal had already secured the only available Group C spot for the next round.

Ángel Di María and Nicolás Otamendi beat already-qualified Bayern Munich 1-0 to take the top spot in a game that kicked off simultaneously in Charlotte.

The faces of the Bosteros, third with two points and the first South American club to get off the World Cup boat, could not hide the dejection caused by the news from the most populated city in North Carolina.

And even less for suffering the unexpected against the bottom team (1) and previously eliminated Oceanic team, whose brave players are students, teachers or real estate agents.

Few teeth

Auckland City landed in Nashville, the country town, conceding 16 goals in painful defeats to Bayern (10-0) and Benfica (6-0).

Having failed to score on U.S. soil, the New Zealanders showed courage and self-respect against a South American giant, whose attack was virtually barren despite the return of Edinson Cavani, who is going through a difficult time at Boca.

The Uruguayan Matador, absent due to injury in the games against the Portuguese (2-2) and the Germans (2-1 defeat), went unnoticed in a Boca team that lacked the offensive capacity to meet the almost impossible challenge of qualifying.

To advance to the round of 16, the Blue and Gold needed to win and Bayern to stop Benfica, also by a heavy scoreline. But neither happened.

The elimination marks the first major blow for Russo, 69, in his return to Boca Juniors, which has had a first half-year to forget.

In the previous games, Boca left a combative image, colored by the multiple parties organized by their fans on U.S. soil. But in Nashville, there was very little combat and brilliance.

"We had the slump because when we came back to play everything was already defined," Russo told DAZN. "The image of the last game is not good."

Goal-scoring teacher

The Xeneize team's offensive display was so poor that they went ahead thanks to an own goal by Auckland goalkeeper Nathan Garrow (26), after Lautaro Di Lollo's header hit the post and struck his body.

Their hopes, already buried, were finally sunk when center back Christian Gray, a 28-year-old schoolteacher, equalized in the 52nd with a header from a corner.

"It's been a tough journey. We've had some tough results, but I'm happy for the team and the guys. I think we deserve it," Gray told DAZN.

Two minutes after the bucket of icy water fell, Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg stopped the match for a "severe thunderstorm" warning as dark clouds descended on Geodis Park.

Did anything change upon return, fifty minutes later? Bitter faces in Boca, concentration in Auckland, luggage back home for both.

With few ideas in midfield, Russo's team abused crosses and crossed balls, but the New Zealanders defended tooth and nail.

And at the final whistle? The students, teachers and real estate agents of the combative Auckland City celebrated as if they had qualified.

"We're a small club with a big heart, and that's evident," coach Paul Posa said. "I think people here have no idea how small we are or where we come from. So it's just great."