In Asia, Guangzhou Evergrande became the first Chinese club to win the AFC Champions league while Egypt’s Al Ahly added an eighth CAF Champions League trophy to the cabinet.
After defeating Orlando Pirates of South Africa 2-0 in the second leg of the final in Cairo Al Ahly won this year’s final 3-1 on aggregate.
With a long history of success in the CAF Champions League, which includes five titles in the last decade, it comes as no surprise that Oceania’s champions have come across the Al Ahly in the past.
Auckland City, who have attended four Club World Cups of their own, found themselves face-to-face with the African champions in 2006 where they fell to a 2-0 loss. A 3-2 victory over TP Mazembe in 2009 is the last time an OFC side met African opposition. They will break that run in December when they face Morocco league champions Raja Casablanca.
In AFC’s Champions League final Marcello Lippi’s side secured the title on the away goals rule.
A 1-1 draw at Tianhe Stadium saw the Chinese Super League champions draw 3-3 over the two legs of the final with Korea Republic’s FC Seoul.
Brazilian striker Elkeson gave Guangzhou the lead in the 55th minute with his sixth goal in six AFC Champions League games, only for Dejan Damjanovic to level the scores seven minutes later to crank up the tension at the Tianhe Stadium. But Choi Yongsoo’s side could not find their way through the home defence a second time to claim the goal needed to keep the trophy in Korean hands and Guangzhou became the first Chinese side since Liaoning in 1990 to be crowned Asian club champions.
Guangzhou will now represent the Asian Football Confederation at the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco next month having added the AFC Champions League to the Chinese Super League title they retained at the end of October.
OFC Champions have met Asian opposition five times in the past – Auckland City v Joenbuk Motors (KOR) 2006, Waitakere United v Sepahan (IRI) 2007, Auckland City v Al-Ahli (UAE) 2009 and Auckland City v Kashiwa Reysol (JPN) 2011 and Sanfrecce Hiroshima (JPN) 2012.
The final two sides to qualify for next month’s FIFA Club World Cup have set up an early showdown against each other.
They will play on 14 December, with the winner going on to face European champions Bayern Munich.
Oceania representatives Auckland City will get the competition underway with a play-off for the quarter finals against Morocco champions Raja Casablanca on 11 December and will be hoping for a better result than previous attempts against an African opponent.

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