By Sachit Subba • Football • Jun 21, 2025 03:15 AM • 59 views
In a match overshadowed by stormy skies and stubborn resistance, Benfica eventually found their rhythm to dispatch a spirited Auckland City side 6-0 in a FIFA Club World Cup group-stage clash that was anything but straightforward. Played in the muggy chaos of Orlando's weather-struck evening, the encounter was delayed for over two hours due to thunderstorms. But by the final whistle—sounded long after Flamengo and Chelsea had already wrapped up their own fixture—the Portuguese side had finally broken free of both the rain and the resistance.
More Than Just a Scoreline
This was no repeat of Auckland's 10-0 capitulation to Bayern Munich. With head coach Paul Posa returning to the touchline after missing the opener due to minor surgery, the Oceania champions put in a performance that belied their amateur status. Organized, energetic, and even dangerous in moments, they held Benfica at bay for 53 minutes and created four decent chances of their own.
But as the thunder rolled out, fatigue rolled in. Fitness and quality told the tale.
Angel Di Maria opened the scoring with a calmly taken penalty in first-half stoppage time—just moments before torrential rain forced a two-and-a-half-hour halftime delay. When play resumed, Benfica were ruthless.
Vangelis Pavlidis doubled the advantage eight minutes into the second half with a close-range finish following intelligent buildup play. Renato Sanches saw his deflected strike beat young keeper Nathan Garrow before Leandro Barreiro bagged a quickfire brace from close range. Di Maria sealed the rout with his second spot-kick of the night.
Auckland's Grit, Garrow's Grit
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Auckland City earned something far more valuable than a result—respect. The five changes Posa made were telling, none more so than 20-year-old goalkeeper Nathan Garrow. Thrown into the deep end after the Bayern blitz, Garrow produced a memorable performance. His 10 saves, including several acrobatic stops, prevented a repeat embarrassment. Remarkably, he touched the ball more times (59) than any of his teammates—and even outpaced Benfica's two-goal man Barreiro in that metric. Without him, this could've spiralled into another headline for the wrong reasons.
Lingering Clouds Over Tournament Organization
While Benfica's win kept them in contention for the knockout rounds, the bigger concern may lie with the tournament itself. This was the fourth match of the opening week to be delayed by thunderstorms, and organizers are facing increasing scrutiny over Florida's suitability for hosting summer football on this scale. That the match ended after the Flamengo vs Chelsea game—which kicked off three hours later—is a damning indictment of the scheduling challenges that continue to plague FIFA's expanded club tournament.
What Lies Ahead
For Auckland City, the journey ends with pride. They'll face Boca Juniors next in a match that won't change their fate but could offer a chance at a parting statement. Benfica, meanwhile, brace for a decisive showdown with Bayern Munich on June 24. As a result, there could be a difference between advancing to the last 16 or facing an early and costly exit.
