Angel Di Maria leads Benfica past Auckland City 6-0 in Club World Cup
Angel Di Maria leads Benfica past Auckland City 6-0 in Club World Cup
Benfica’s Angel Di Maria celebrates after scoring a penalty, his side’s first goal, during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Auckland City’s Matt Ellis, left, and Benfica’s Samuel Dahl fight for the ball during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Auckland City’s Adam Bell, left, Adam Mitchell, center, and Auckland City’s Nathan Garrow try to save a ball during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Benfica players celebrate opening goal during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Auckland City’s Mario Ilich, foreground, and Benfica’s Leandro Barreiro jump for the ball during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Benfica’s Angel Di Maria celebrates after scoring a penalty, his side’s first goal, during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Benfica’s Angel Di Maria celebrates after scoring a penalty, his side’s first goal, during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Auckland City’s Matt Ellis, left, and Benfica’s Samuel Dahl fight for the ball during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Auckland City’s Matt Ellis, left, and Benfica’s Samuel Dahl fight for the ball during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Auckland City’s Adam Bell, left, Adam Mitchell, center, and Auckland City’s Nathan Garrow try to save a ball during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Auckland City’s Adam Bell, left, Adam Mitchell, center, and Auckland City’s Nathan Garrow try to save a ball during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Benfica players celebrate opening goal during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Benfica players celebrate opening goal during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Auckland City’s Mario Ilich, foreground, and Benfica’s Leandro Barreiro jump for the ball during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Auckland City’s Mario Ilich, foreground, and Benfica’s Leandro Barreiro jump for the ball during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla., Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Ángel Di María and Leandro Barreiro each scored two goals Friday to help Benfica rout Auckland City 6-0 in a Club World Cup game that was delayed at halftime because of thunder and lightning.
Di María, who teamed with Lionel Messi to win the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, scored his first goal from the penalty spot deep into added time at the end of the first half. His second score, and the team’s sixth, was again from the penalty spot and in added time at the end of the match.
Auckland City exchanged counterattacks with the Portuguese powerhouse in the first half of the Group C match, but was still outshot 18-1.
The second half went Benfica’s way. Vangelis Pavlidis made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute, Renato Sanches scored a short time later and Barreiro then scored a pair of goals to increase the lead to 5-0.
A thunderstorm delayed the start of the second half for more than two hours. When the match resumed at Inter&Co Stadium, the goals came pouring in for Benfica.
Key moment
Auckland midfielder Tong Zhou went down with an apparent head injury just before halftime. Trainers attended to Zhou on the field, and Benfica defender Alvaro Carreras complained about the delay. He was given a yellow card after a spat with game officials.
Takeaways
With the win, Benfica has four points in Group C. Bayern Munich, which beat Auckland City 10-0 in its opening match, plays Boca Juniors later Friday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
What they said
“It was very good. We are happy to play here.” — Benfica coach Bruno Lage.
“I’m a little bit frustrated. The first half was solid. It was just very disappointing to concede a goal. I think the guys are going to be a little bit disappointed in the scoreline.” — Auckland coach Paul Posa.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer