City Undone by Di María and Orlando Deluge

Beneath the heavy Florida air, at Orlando’s Inter&Co Stadium, the Oceania champions summoned a gutsy, defiant performance that stymied Benfica’s stars, until Angel Di María’s stoppage-time penalty at the end of the first half pried the lid off what had been a tightly sealed jar. 

What followed after a two-hour lightning delay was a flood, on and off the pitch, as the Portuguese giants ran out 6–0 winners and eliminated the New Zealanders from the FIFA Club World Cup™.

Still, for those backing the Navy Blues, there were moments of pride and progress. Nathan Garrow, handed his tournament debut in goal, turned away waves of Benfica pressure in the first half with the bravado of a veteran. 

“The experience is crazy,” the 20-year-old said afterward. “I just thought I’d give my all. Nearly kept it 0–0 for halftime, and then… questionable penalty. But it is what it is.”

The “what it is,” unfortunately for City, was a turning point. Haris Zeb’s challenge on Gianluca Prestianni offered Di María a chance to break the deadlock, and he didn’t blink, stroking a composed effort down the middle as Garrow committed to his right.

City headed to the changing room ruing missed moments and debating the decision, but the weather had other plans. Lightning rolled through the Orlando sky, delaying the restart by two hours and draining momentum from the underdogs. When play resumed, Benfica returned with renewed focus and fclinical determination.

Pavlidis doubled the lead in the 53rd minute. Renato Sanches, then Leandro Barreiro, twice in two minutes, piled on the pressure and the goals. Di María, mercilessly, added his second spot-kick in stoppage time after a VAR review, sealing a brace that bookended the game and crushed Auckland’s resolve.

“We can take some pride from the first half and some of the moments in the game,” said defender Michael den Heijer. “I think we battled well.”

They did. Garrow’s saves, knee here, fingertip there, kept Benfica at bay longer than many had expected. The high defensive line still bent under pressure, and the counters looked sharper than they had against Bayern Munich. 

“Today was a small improvement,” Den Heijer noted. “Everyone’s probably hurting at the moment, but we showed more confidence.”

That improvement will give City confidence as they head to Nashville for their final Group C fixture against Boca Juniors. With nothing to play for but pride, the Navy Blues will look to write one last note of resistance. 

“We just gotta try and do it within that first half, do it for 90 minutes,” Garrow said. “Hopefully we can pull some result.”

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup™ on DAZN

DAZN is offering free access to all FIFA Club World Cup™ matches. Here’s how you can tune in:

1. Sign up for a free DAZN account – Simply register with your email address. No hidden costs or fees.
2. Download the DAZN App – Available on your TV, phone, tablet, or streaming device via your app store.
3. Watch on a laptop or PC – Visit www.DAZN.com
4. Log in – Select “Get Started” or “Log In” and enter your email address.
5. Enjoy the matches – You now have access to all of DAZN’s free content, including the FIFA Club World Cup™.

Note: If you are already a DAZN subscriber or Freemium member, the competition is included in your current membership.

Be part of the FCWC action and get your tickets here https://goto.fifa.com/nxRf/v3zxkz7g 

Ends

Match Result
FIFA Club World Cup™
Friday 20 June 2025
Inter&Co Stadium, Florida, USA
Benfica: 6 (Angel DI MARIA 45+8′, 90+8′, Vangelis PAVLIDIS 53′, Renato SANCHES 63′, Leandro BARREIRO 76′, 78′)
Auckland City FC: 0
HT: 1–0

AC: 2. Mario ILICH (C) (6. Jackson MANUEL 60′),  3. Adam MITCHELL, 5. Nikko BOXALL, 7. Myer BEVAN (11. Ryan DE VRIES 73′), 17. Jerson LAGOS, 21. Adam BELL, 22. Tong ZHOU (8. Gerard GARRIGA 45′), 24. Nathan GARROW (GK), 25. Michael Den Heijer (4. Chrtistian GRAY 79′), 26. David YOO (20. Matthew ELLIS 60′), 27. Haris ZEB (10. Dylan MANICKUM 60′) .

SUBS NOT USED: 1. Conor TRACEY (GK), 12. Regont MURATI, 13. Nathan LOBO, 14. Jordan VALE, 16. Joseph LEE, 18. Sebastian CIGANDA (GK), 19. Dylan CONNOLLY, 20. Matthew ELLIS, 23. Alfred Rogers.

HEAD COACH: Paul POSA
ASSISTANT COACH: Ivan VICELICH
ASSISTANT COACH: Adria CASALS
ASSISTANT COACH: Daewook KIM
TECHNICAL ANALYST: Malte THESENVITZ
GK COACH: Jonas HOFFMANN
TEAM MANAGER: Keith COTON
PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE
PHYSIO: Zara ELLIS
PHYSIO: Natalia KOSINSKA
TEAM DOCTOR: Craig PANTHER
TEAM MANAGER: Keith COTON