Raja Casablanca and Auckland City FC's players fight for the ball during their FIFA Club World Cup soccer match at Grand Stadium in Agadir December 11, 2013. Raja Casablanca, representing host nation Morocco, needed a stoppage-time goal from Abdelila
Raja Casablanca and Auckland City FC's players fight for the ball during their FIFA Club World Cup soccer match at Grand Stadium in Agadir December 11, 2013. Raja Casablanca, representing host nation Morocco, needed a stoppage-time goal from Abdelilah Hafidi to beat part-timers Auckland City 2-1 in the preliminary round match at the Club World Cup on Wednesday. Amr Abdallah Dalsh

The 2014 FIFA Club World Cup is taking place from Dec. 10 to Dec. 20 at Morocco for the second successive year. Auckland City FC are participating in it for the sixth time because last year they won the 2013-2014 OFC Champions League. Western Sydney Wanderers FC are participating for the first time as a reward for winning the 2014 AFC Champions League.

Real Madrid FC are the favourites in the competition. This is their second participation in the tournament and they are present because they won the 2013-14 UEFA Champions League. San Lorenzo de Almagro from Argentina are also participating for the first time because of winning the 2014 Copa Libertadores.

In the very first match of the tournament, the play-off quarter-finals, Auckland City FC took on local Moroccan league champions Moghreb Tetouan. Being an away match Auckland City FC approached it by packing their midfield and their defense. They were successful in keeping the hosts at bay and the match remained goal less even after extra time. Auckland City FC won the match in the following penalty shoot-outs. Tim Payne, John Irving, Darrent White and Sanni Issa scored for the New Zealand team while Zaid Krouch, Mourtada Fall and Zouhair Naim scored for the hosts. As a result Auckland City FC qualified for the quarter-final match against the Algerian club ES Setif, the 2014 CAF Champions League winner. A John Irwin goal on the 52nd minute was enough to defeat them and qualify for the semi-final match. On Dec. 17, 2014 Copa Libertadores champion San Lorenzo de Almagro will play Auckland City FC.

In another quarter-final match the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League winner Cruz Azul took on Western Sydney Wanderers FC. The Australian side took the lead from a 65th minute goal from Iacopo La Rocca. Gerardo Torrado equalised for the Mexican outfit in the dying stages of the match by converting a penalty. In the extra time there was more heart break for the Australian side when they conceded two more goals. Mariano Pavone scored the first goal and Torrado scored the second from another penalty. On Dec. 17th Western Sydney Wanderers FC will take on ES Setif to decide the fifth place in the competition. On Dec. 16th in the first semi-final Cruz Azul will play the European champions Real Madrid FC.

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