Ahly reach Club World Cup semis

Aboutrika scored Al Ahly's second goal

African champions Ahly beat Auckland City 2-0 to reach the Fifa Club World Championship semi-finals.

Angola international Flavio's fine shot put the five-time African champions ahead early in the second half.

African player of the year nominee Mohamed Aboutrika sealed Ahly's win with an impressive free-kick.

The Egyptian club now face Brazil's Internacional in the semis, while tournament favourites Barcelona play either Jeonbuk Motors and Club America.

Ahly enjoyed the best of the opening exchanges with star playmaker Aboutrika twice coming close early on.

The 28-year-old, whose injury-time volley sealed back-to-back African titles for Ahly this year, blasted over from close range before putting a right-footed effort wide on 20 minutes.

But it was Flavio who broke the deadlock, collecting the ball from Emad Moteab on the edge of the box before burying his shot in the top right corner.

Aboutrika again went close on 58 minutes but his break into the penalty box was smothered by a last-ditch tackle.

Auckland, a semi-professional team most of whose players still have day jobs, were unable seriously to trouble Ahly despite the introduction of former Japan international Teru Iwamoto.

And Aboutrika halted any thoughts of a revival with a classic free-kick from a central position on 73 minutes which left helpless Auckland keeper Ross Nicholson rooted to the spot.

Auckland won the Oceania title largely because of the absence of teams from Australia, which has joined the Asian Football Confederation.

They were considered rank outsiders against Ahly, the aristocrats of African football with a fan base estimated at more than 50 million.

Ahly will play Internacional in Tokyo on Wednesday.

The Club World Cup features the champions of Europe, South America, Central and North America, Africa, Asia and Oceania.

It has replaced the traditional match-up between the European and South American champions played since 1960.

In last year's competition, which inaugurated the new format, Sao Paulo beat Liverpool 1-0 in the final.