Kashiwa accounts for Auckland

The New Zealand side was under pressure from the off against the side representing the host nation, but managed to hold firm until late in the first-half, when a quick-fire double ended the game as a contest.

Kashiwa, which claimed the J-League title at the weekend, will take CONCACAF champion Monterrey on Sunday, again at the impressive 36,000 Toyota Stadium, which had rows of empty seats on Thursday night for the tournament opener.

The Japanese side will expect a far sterner test than that offered by Auckland City, which was representing Oceania at the annual tournament of continental champions.

The plucky Kiwi side provided the shock of the 2009 CWC, unexpectedly winning two games. But there was to be no fairytale this time.

Kashiwa, which made history by winning the J-League after only being promoted the season before, continued its hot streak and might have been ahead within just five minutes, but Tatsuya Masushima's snap shot was blocked on the line.

Englishman Adam Dickinson offered a muscular outlet in attack for an Auckland side made up of office workers, students and even a former backpacker, but his team was encamped in their own half for much of the first period.

And just when it looked like they might hang on for half-time, Junya Tanaka turned neatly in the box and fired the ball past an exposed Jacob Spoonley in the Auckland goal.

That was on 37 minutes and just three minutes later it was 2-0 when Masato Kudo fired in from close range after the ball had rebounded off the post.

The Kiwi outfit was denied late on when Takanori Sugeno made a flying one-handed save to keep a clean sheet.