Raja score late to beat Auckland at Club World Cup

Raja score late to beat Auckland at Club World Cup

Published Dec. 11, 2013 11:39 p.m. ET

Raja Casablanca scored late into stoppage time to beat Auckland City 2-1 in the opening match of the annual Club World Cup in Morocco on Wednesday.

Abdelilah Hafidi tapped home the winner in the 2nd minute of added time to ensure the host club a winning start at the Agadir Stadium.

Raja took a 1-0 lead in the 39th through Mouhssine Iajour after he beat goalkeeper Tamati Williams with a shot into the far corner.

The New Zealand club rallied through Fijian Krishna, who found himself alone to beat keeper Khalid Askri after Mohamed Oulhaj and Ismail Benlamalem ran into each other.

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Raja set up a quarterfinal match Sunday with Mexican club Monterrey after Williams saved Oulhaj's header, only for it to fall to the foot of Hafidi.

Formerly known as the Intercontinental Cup, the Club World Cup is being played in Africa for the first time.

European champion Bayern Munich and South America's Copa Libertadores victor Atletico Mineiro enter from the semifinals, starting on Tuesday.

Corinthians beat Chelsea 1-0 to lift the title last year.

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