Boca crashes out as Auckland City makes history in Nashville

In one of the biggest shocks of the group stage, Boca Juniors was eliminated from the FIFA Club World Cup after a dramatic 1–1 draw with Auckland City FC. The New Zealand club, made up mostly of semi-professional players, not only scored their first-ever goal at the tournament but also earned their first point—sending Boca home and securing a historic result in Nashville.

Auckland came out fearless and nearly stunned Boca early. Within six minutes, Dylan Manickum had two efforts blocked, exposing early nerves in Boca‘s backline. Still, it was Boca who struck first. In the 26th minute, from their seventh corner of the match, Lautaro Di Lollo’s header bounced off the post and then off Auckland goalkeeper Nathan Garrow into the net. It was officially recorded as an own goal, but it gave Boca what seemed like a routine lead.

But Auckland held on, and their persistence paid off. Just seven minutes into the second half, Christian Gray—a full-time PE teacher—rose highest on a corner and headed in the equalizer, sparking wild celebrations from the Auckland bench and the small contingent of Kiwi fans. It was a moment of pure magic: a club with a fraction of Boca‘s resources delivering a tournament highlight against one of South America’s most storied teams.

As if the shock wasn’t enough, a severe weather delay hit in the 54th minute, halting play for nearly an hour. During the delay, Boca learned their fate—Benfica and Bayern had drawn in the other match, meaning elimination was already confirmed. When the match resumed, Boca threw everything forward. Merentiel looked to rescue them with a late strike, but VAR ruled it out due to a handball in the buildup by Kevin Zenón. Garrow, the Auckland goalkeeper, cemented his hero status with two more incredible saves: one on a looping header from Malcom Braida, and another diving stop from Zenón himself.

The final whistle was met with disbelief from the Boca fans and pure euphoria from Auckland City. The Kiwis had earned their point, fought bravely, and written themselves into Club World Cup folklore. For Boca, it was a night of missed chances, two shots off the woodwork, and a tournament that ended far earlier than expected.