RABAT: Western Sydney Wander­ers came within two minutes of a dream Club World Cup semi final meeting with Real Madrid before losing 3-1 after extra-time to Mexican side Cruz Azul on Saturday.

A memorable year for Australia’s Wanderers, who defied the odds to overcome much wealthier Asian teams and win the continent’s Champions League in November, ended on a waterlogged pitch with a rash of red cards as they let a late lead slip.

CONCACAF champions Cruz Azul, on debut, will face European champions Real in Rabat on Tuesday and joined New Zealand’s Auckland City in the Club World Cup semi-finals for the first time.

Auckland’s John Irving struck in the second-half to secure a shock 1-0 win over Algerians ES Setif and a last four place for the first time in six attempts and the Oceania champions will meet Argentina’s San Lorenzo, the Copa Libertadores title holders, in Marrakesh on Wednesday.

In unrelenting rain, Wanderers took the lead against the run of play after 65 minutes with Italian midfielder Iacopo La Rocca taking an opportunist shot from a poor clearance.

Ten minutes later Matthew Spiranovic became the first Wander­ers player to be red-carded for handball and Cruz Azul laid siege for the remaining 15 minutes.

It didn’t pay off until the 89th, when the Mexicans were awarded a penalty which captain Gerardo Torrado converted to send the tie into extra-time.

Things went from bad to worse for Wanderers in the extra 30 minutes when captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley was shown his second yellow card.

Cruz Azul pounced, with Hugo Pavone knocking a rebound into an empty net in the 108th, and Torrado converting another penalty for hand ball in the 118th.

Wanderers were unhappy with Ivory Coast referee Noumandiez Doue and the condition of the pitch that made passing difficult and ball control a lottery following continuous torrential rain.

“The whole 120 minutes was disgusting,” Wanderers goalkeeper Ante Covic said in a television interview.

“It was absolutely farcical what happened out there and it’s unacceptable to me.

“The conditions are hard enough as it is and we’ve copped some decisions that have ultimately given them the game.

“There is no other way to talk about it.

“It was never going to be a pretty game with the conditions but to me... it’s embarrassing. You can’t play football on that [pitch], full stop.”

Auckland, who defeated local side Moghreb Tetouan in a penalty shootout on Wednesday to make the quarter-finals, delivered the winner early in the second half.

A corner kick landed in the box, and Irving beat a defender and shot inside the near post, sending the ball past the fingertips of Sofiane Khedairia.

Published in Dawn December 15th , 2014