Team Wellington came so close to a stunning upset against Al Ain at the Fifa Club World Cup before losing in a shootout.

Team Wellington have suffered crushing heartbreak at the Club World Cup, surrendering a 3-0 lead before losing in a penalty shootout.

The Oceania champions found themselves up by three goals after 44 minutes thanks to three well-taken goals at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain City on Thursday morning (NZT), but the United Arab Emirates champions fought back to level the score at 3-3 by fulltime.

The match went through extra time with neither side able to find a decisive goal, so it was onto the dreaded penalty shootout.

AP Al Ain's Tongo Doumbia, right, scores his team's second goal against Team Wellington on Thursday.

After first-up successes, Al Ain's $4 million-per-season man Marcus Berg missed their second penalty, sending his effort over the bar, but Angus Kilkolly had Team Wellington's second penalty saved by Khalid Eisa.

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The next two attempts for both sides both found the net, meaning it was down to sudden death. Caio scored for Al Ain, before Eisa saved Team Wellington captain Justin Gulley's effort to send the Kiwis crashing out.

AP Al Ain striker Marcus Berg celebrates his equaliser at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium.

Team Wellington coach Jose Figueira said he was incredibly proud of the way his team played.

"We put in a performance and a showing that showed we deserved to be here. We pushed them all the way and I said right from the start, as long as we've got that as a performance, I couldn't be any prouder, and that's how I'm feeling right now."

He thanked his players for a putting in such a big effort in the leadup to the match.

AP Team Wellington's Aaron Clapham celebrates after scoring his team's second goal against Al Ain.

"I have to apologise to my players because I put them through hell, I asked for a tremendous amount and today is probably the most that they've ever given. We took them to the wire and I think when the dust settles they'll be hungry to come back to this stage and prove themselves again."

Earlier, ​Team Wellington made an outstanding start when Argentine midfielder Mario Barcia thundered home a long-range shot from more than 30 metres out into the top-left corner in just the 11th minute.​

They were in dreamland just four minutes later when Andy Bevin produced a deft touch to play Aaron Clapham through into the box and the former All White made no mistake with his finish to the bottom-left corner.

FIFA Team Wellington midfielder Aaron Clapham celebrates his goal that put his side 2-0 up against Al Ain.

Al Ain dominated possession for the rest of the half and looked to have got a goal back in the 27th minute when Brazilian attacker Caio surged onto a pass into the box and buried his finish into the bottom-right corner.

However, the Video Assistant Referee intervened, telling Japanese referee Ryuji Sato to review a foul some 60 metres back on Hamish Watson. The Team Wellington striker had his foot trod on, with that dispossession leading immediately to the goal. The referee overturned the goal, awarded Team Wellington a freekick and showed Al Ain defender Mohanad Salem a yellow card for the foul.

Al Ain coach Zoran Mamic had seen enough and made a substitution in the 38th minute, bringing on midfielder Bandar Al Ahbabi for Salem.

AP Team Wellington's players celebrate their second goal against United Arab Emirates champions Al Ain.

But that change didn't help their set-piece defending as Team Wellington scored a third goal in the 44th minute as Mario Ilich ghosted in unmarked at the back post from a corner to tap into an open net.

Al Ain did manage to hit back just before halftime as Japanese fullback Tsukasa Shiotani fired past Team Wellington goalkeeper Scott Basalaj with a driven shot from inside the box.

Al Ain pulled another goal back just four minutes into the second half as Caio was played clear down the left flank before whipping a low cross in for Tongo Doumbia to hammer home from close range.

Caio hit the post in the 77th minute for Al Ain, which was immediately followed by the introduction of Swedish international striker Berg, who was on the bench due to an illness.

It took him just seven minutes to draw his side level as he fired in a swivelling volley from just inside the box that deflected in off Scott Hilliar.

He had a great chance to score the winner in injury time as he got clear of the defence, but his finish was high and wide.

Given the match started in 26 degrees Celsius heat, extra time was unlikely to be in Team Wellington's favour given both their amateur status and the climate from which they come from, but they continued to more than match it with Al Ain.

Berg had another chance to put his side ahead early in injury time, but Basalaj made himself big to deny the Swede one-on-one.

Team Wellington had a half chance with eight minutes to go when Nati Hailemariam whizzed a low cross across the face of goal, but Hamish Watson was just unable to get a toe on the end of it.

AP Al Ain's players celebrate after scoring their first goal against Team Wellington.

As if the game could not get any more dramatic, Al Ain had a Mohamed Abdulrahman sent off for second bookable offence in the final minute of extra time.

Basalaj made one final save - his eighth of the match - just as extra time ended to send it to penalties.

AT A GLANCE

Team Wellington 3 (Mario Barcia 11', Aaron Clapham 15', Mario Ilich 44') Al Ain 3 (Tsakasa Shiotane 45', Tongo Doumbia 49', Marcus Berg 85'). HT: 3-1. FT: 3-3. AET: 3-3. Al Ain won penalty shootout 4-3.

AP Team Wellington's Mario Ilich. left, scores the third goal during the first round playoff of the Club World Cup.