The venue’s freshly installed artifical turf provided the ideal playing surface but the vistors found the chilly conditions much harder to deal with and got off to a slow start, finding themselves seven goals down by the half-time whistle.
The Rewa players emerged for the second half kitted out with some warmer accessories and the changes in outfit appeared to have a positive impact as they restricted City to a further four strikes in the second half.
Spanish striker Manel Exposito led the way for City with a four-goal haul while David Mulligan and Emiliano Tade both struck twice. Luis Corrales, Adam McGeorge and Chad Coombes also got their names on the scoresheet.
The match was part of the Pacific “Festival of Football” held at Bill McKinlay Park over the weekend, the second game of which sees Auckland’s O-League rivals Waitakere United take on Rewa on Sunday.
The comprehensive victory was Auckland’s first pre-season outing as the side, co-coached by Aaron McFarland and Ramon Tribulietx, looks to prepare for its upcoming O-League and ASB Premiership campaigns, which both kick-off in late October.
City have several more pre-season matches pencilled in, the highlight of which is a clash against Australian team Central Coast Mariners, who finished runners-up in last season’s A-League and include All White Michael McGlinchey and Socceroo Matt Simon in their line-up.
Auckland City pre-season fixtures
Auckland City vs Fiji Select XI
Saturday 24 September
Auckland Grammar School
Mountain Road, Epsom
Kick-off: 11am local time
Free entry
Auckland City vs Central Coast Mariners
Wednesday 28 September
Croatian Cultural Society
McLeod Road, Henderson
Kick-off: 7.15pm local time
Adults $10, children under 15 free
Auckland City vs Lotto NRFL All Stars
Saturday 8 October
Croatian Cultural Society
McLeod Road, Henderson
Kick-off: 2pm local time
Free entry

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