Lobo - 'We want to be back at the Club World Cup'
TANGIER, Morocco - The performance of Nathan Lobo caught the eye despite Auckland City FC's chastening defeat to Al Ahly at the FIFA Club World Cup today.
Lobo, 20, was in top form on a tough night for the Oceania champions with several exciting forays forward into wide areas and always making himself available to take possession under extreme pressure.
Speaking with media after the final whistle, Lobo described the experience of taking on one of Africa's biggest and best football clubs.
"I'm happy on a personal level with my own performance but felt our team played well but are feeling pretty disappointed with the result.
"We don't normally play in front of crowds that big but the fans were passionate and that was a great experience.
"Football in New Zealand is on the rise and I hope playing in the FIFA Club World Cup helps that process. I hope we can win the OFC Champions League again and get back to this level next year and I'm sure the whole team feels that way.
"Now we're out of the competition I'm interested in seeing how the Seattle Sounders do because I went to college in the US. It would've been great to play them in the next game but it wasn't to be," he said.
Auckland City FC depart Morocco immediately and arrive back in New Zealand on February 4.
Ends
Match Result
FIFA Club World Cup 2022
Thursday 2 February 2023
Al Ahly 3 (Hussein EL SHAHAT 45'+2', Mohamed SHERIF 56', Tau PERCY 86')
Auckland City FC 0
HT: 1-0.
Red Card - 3. Adam MITCHELL (AC) 90'+7'.
AC: 1. Conor TRACEY (GK), 3. Adam MITCHELL, 5. Nikko BOXALL, 7. Cam HOWIESON (c), 8. Gerard GARRIGA (17. Reid DRAKE 78'), 10. Dylan MANICKUM (16. Joe LEE 78'), 11. Ryan DE VRIES (9. Angus KILKOLLY 71'), 12. Regont MURATI, 13. Nathan LOBO (14. Jordan VALE 71'), 20. Emiliano TADE (19. Liam GILLION 55'), 21. Michael DEN HEIJER.
SUBS NOT USED: 2. Mario ILICH, 4. Christian GRAY, 18. Finn DOCKERTY (GK), 23. Matt ELLIS, 24. Cam BROWN (GK), 25. Takuya IWATA.
INJURED: 15. Aidan CAREY.
COACH: Albert RIERA.
ASSISTANT: Ivan VICELICH
GK COACH: Enaut ZUBIKARAI
TECHNICAL: Adria CASALS
TECHNICAL: Jarrod WALLACE
LOGISTICS: Keith COTON
PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE
DOCTOR: Dr. Craig EDWARDS
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Table
| Position | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | AC | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 8 | 21 |
| 2 |  | WS | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 8 | 18 |
| 3 |  | BU | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 8 | 16 |
| 4 |  | ES | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 7 | 15 |
| 5 |  | BO | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 13 | 15 |
| 6 |  | AU | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 8 | 12 |
| 7 |  | MN | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 14 | 10 |
| 8 |  | TC | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 21 | 7 |
| 9 |  | EB | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 3 |
| 10 |  | MU | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 29 | 3 |
| 11 |  | HW | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 23 | 2 |
| 12 |  | WR | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 22 | 2 |
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