Sanfrecce Hiroshima reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 2-0 play-off win over Auckland City.
– FIFA Club World Cup guide: Barca to beat
– Asia Angle: It takes more than money to break China
– #360view: Man U must consider LVG’s after exit
Goals in each half from Yusuke Minagawa and Tsukasa Shiotani earned the host side a deserved win in Yokahoma, Japan.
Auckland, surprise third-placed finishers last year, found themselves behind after just nine minutes.
City keeper Jacob Spoonley failed to hold Gakuto Notsuda’s shot from outside the area and Minagawa swept in the rebound, although there was more than a hint of offside about the goal.
GOAL: Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-0 Auckland City @sio125 doubles @sanfrecce_SFC‘s lead #ClubWC https://t.co/nqmnto0Yfj pic.twitter.com/ojPi91wkRx
— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) December 10, 2015
Minagawa then raced clear for a one-on-one with Spoonley but this time the keeper made a fine block, before Shiotani headed Yoshifumi Kashiwa’s cross wide.
But Sanfrecce grabbed the killer second in the 70th minute when Shiotani’s shot took a deflection and wrong-footed Spoonley.
Sanfrecce now face African champions TP Mazembe in Sunday’s quarter-final in Osaka, with River Plate waiting the winners in the last four.
