By Sachit Subba • Football • Jun 25, 2025 02:10 AM • 114 views
In a result that will echo through Buenos Aires and beyond, Boca Juniors saw their Club World Cup journey crash to an abrupt halt after a stunning 1-1 draw with semi-professional side Auckland City in sweltering Nashville on Tuesday.
Needing not only a thumping win to claw back a seven-goal differential on Benfica but also hoping for a Bayern Munich victory, Boca ended up unravelling under pressure — and weather — against a side whose goal scorer teaches P.E. back home in New Zealand.
Christian Grey, a part-time footballer and full-time educator, delivered a moment of magic in the 52nd minute, nodding in Auckland's only goal of the tournament just before lightning suspended play for nearly 50 minutes. By the time the storm passed, so had Boca's slim hopes of qualification.
"Scoring that goal was just surreal," Grey said, still basking in disbelief. "I think the club deserved it, and I'm happy for the boys."
Boca's only goal came in the 26th minute — a bizarre own goal credited to Auckland keeper Nathan Garrow after Lautaro Di Lollo's header struck the post, bounced back, and ricocheted off Garrow's arm into the net. But for all the early pressure, Boca lacked the ruthlessness required to capitalise.
Miguel Merentiel thought he had restored the lead shortly after play resumed following the weather delay, but VAR denied him, ruling teammate Kevin Zenon had handled the ball in the build-up.
From there, the game fizzled in the Tennessee heat, with temperatures touching 96°F (35.5°C) and tempers flaring on the Boca bench. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who watched from the stands, witnessed a script no one in blue and gold had anticipated. "It was difficult to find spaces — they defended well and never gave up," admitted veteran Boca forward Edinson Cavani. "The conditions didn't help, and after their goal, they gained confidence while we lost control." The result marks a humiliating exit for Boca, finishing third in Group C with just two points — behind Bayern Munich and Benfica, who sealed progression with a 1-0 win in Charlotte. Auckland City, considered group whipping boys at kickoff, walk away with both a goal and a point — and pride restored. Coach Miguel Ángel Russo was blunt in his post-match reflections. "Until their goal, the game was all ours. But Boca's image after this match is not good. This is the third set-piece goal we've conceded — there's a lot to correct." Even Boca's famously loyal supporters, who brought South American flavour to the U.S. South, couldn't will their team through. Throughout the weather delay, the fans chanted, sang, and beat drums under the oppressive humidity, unwilling to abandon hope — even as the scoreboard did. "Thanks to all the fans who came here and supported us like they do back home," Russo said. "We didn't give them the performance they deserved." For Boca Juniors, a continental giant and six-time Copa Libertadores champion, the failure to reach the knockout stage of a revamped Club World Cup will sting. For Auckland City — part-time players, full-time dreamers — it was a night of vindication, passion, and the magic of football.
