Real Madrid vs Club America live: Cristiano Ronaldo goal given after video referee referral to seal semi-final win
Follow the latest from the Fifa Club World Cup semi-final in Japan
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Your support makes all the difference.Real Madrid are through to the Fifa Club World Cup final after securing a comfortable 2-0 victory over Mexican side Club America, setting up a final clash against Japanese side Kasima Antlers in Tokyo on Sunday to decide the club champions of the world. Re-live the action here.
- Real Madrid beat Club America 2-0
- Real take first-half lead through Karim Benzema goal
- Cristiano Ronaldo doubles the advantage in final minutes
- Ronaldo's goal originally disallowed for offside before being reviewed on video
- Ronaldo had earlier struck the post twice
- Real to play Asian champions Kasima Tokyo in Sunday's final
- Club America to feature in 3rd-place play-off against Atletico Nacional
Follow the live action below...
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A big game for…
Rubens Sambueza. The Club America club captain is hoping to return to the starting XI to offer his team more control and bite in the centre of the park as they attempt to pull off a surprise victory over Madrid. Should he feature, Sambueza will need to recreate the sort of form which has seen him rack up four goals and nine assists this season. As club captain, Thursday’s semi-final comes a big game for the Argentine.
Best stat…
35 - The number of matches that reigning European champions Real Madrid have gone since they last lost. Their longest unbeaten run in 27 years, it comprises 26 wins and nine draws in all competitions and stretches back to April.
Player to watch…
Karim Benzema. The Frenchman was rested for the side’s 3-2 La Liga win over Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday and is expected to return to play in Thursday’s semi-final. After bagging a brace in his last appearance against Borussia Dortmund, America will need to keep an eye on the 28-year-old.
Last meeting…
The most recent meeting between the two sides came in a friendly match back in August 2010. Madrid emerged victorious on that occasion, with Cristiano Ronaldo striking late to end the game 3-2.
Predicted teams...
Club America: Munoz, Valdez, Samudio, Arroyo, Goltz, Aguilar, Sambueza, Da Silva, Peralta, Quintero, Romero.
Real Madrid: Navas, Danilo, Marcelo, Varane, Ramos, Kroos, Modric, Isco, Vasquez, Ronaldo, Benzema.
What’s been said….
Club America coach Ricardo La Volpe: “It’s players and not shirts that win games. We’ll go out to play Real Madrid without any kind of burden on our shoulders. We have to work twice as hard to make sure we’ve got two men up against every one of theirs all across the pitch. We’re going to play a great side and we’re going to see what we’re made of.”
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos: “We’d like to get the Champions Badge back. The Club World Cup gives us the chance to test ourselves against other styles of play that we’re perhaps not so used to. We have new goals to achieve, and new records to break. There are always new challenges.”
Form guide...
Club America: WWDWD
Real Madrid: WDDWW
Vital information...
Kick-off: 15 December, Yokohama, Japan, 10.30 (UTC)
TV: The game is not being broadcast in the UK. Follow our live blog for minute-by-minute updates.
29 min: Modric curls in an inviting from the right and Ronaldo is once again on hand to challenge for it. The America defence enjoys a bit more success this time round though and successfully nods the ball clear.
31 min: Still, Club America continue to fight back. Positioned on the left-hand side edge of the Madrid box, Sambueza plays a short inward ball to the incoming Romero who slips past one defender, before taking it around another as he attempts to weave his way through the Spanish side's defence. The space eventually opens up for a shot on the left but he's off-balance and his attempt fires into the side-netting.
33 min: Another foul, another Madrid free-kick. Ronaldo once again tries his luck from the right...and once again hits the wall. It falls favourably for him though on the rebound and he snaps at it with a thunderous strike on the half-volley, forcing Munoz into a fantastic reaction save. He only pushes it as far as Benzema though who strokes the ball into the open goal with ease! 1-0....but wait! The flag goes up for offside! Club America breathe a sigh of relief.
35 min: Ronaldo and Vazquez link up in a neat one-two inside the America box that sees the former burst through to the byline from where he cuts the ball back across Munoz's goal. No-one is on hand to get a foot to it though as it rolls teasingly across the box. Another chance for Madrid.
37 min: Romero gets slotted in behind the Madrid defence and from the left-hand side, fires a testing shot on goal. Navas reacts well and pushes the effort out for a corner.
40 min: Madrid are still dominating possession but they've failed as yet to find that opening first goal. Benzema is played through inside the America box and lets loose immediately with a shot on from the left. Munoz makes the save but the flag goes up regardless for offside.
42 min: Ronaldo plays a clever back-heel inside the America box to set up Modric but Goltz is on him like a hound. Putting in a big crunching tackle, he blocks the shot and dispossess the midfielder with ease. Great bit of defending there.
45 min: The cracks are starting to show as Kroos floats what should have been a simple ball to his left but ends up completely over-hitting his pass. Marcelo sticks out a desperate leg in a bid to bring it under control but Kroos' ball is just out of reach and runs out for a Club America throw-in. Not what you'd expected.
GOAL! Club America 0-1 Real Madrid (45 min, Benzema)
Finally Madrid get the break through they've been working for! Drawing the defender in, Kroos created the initial space for Benzema to run into and with a well-placed ball, the forward was through. With his second touch, he curled the ball into the left-hand side corner to finally break the deadlock. Quintessential Madrid. 1-0!
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