Gareth Bale hat-trick sends Real Madrid into the Club World Cup final
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Your support makes all the difference.Gareth Bale scored a hat-trick in 11 minutes to put Real Madrid in control in their Club World Cup semi-final clash against Kashima Antlers in Abu Dhabi.
The Wales forward opened the scoring just before the break, side-footing home, and then added two more in quick succession early in the second half to put the Spanish giants 3-0 up.
He scored his second after 53 minutes and completed his treble two minutes later with another neat finish to become the third player in Club World Cup history to score a hat-trick.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez also managed the feat.
PA
PREVIEW
Real Madrid vs Kashima Antlers kicks off at 4:30pm on Wednesday 19 December.
Where can I watch it?
The match will not be shown live in the UK, but you can follow the action with The Independent’s live blog.
Which teams are involved?
River Plate, Argentina (Conmebol)
Real Madrid, Spain (Uefa)
Kashima Antlers, Japan (AFC)
Esperance de Tunis, Tunisia (CAF)
Guadalajara, Mexico (Concacaf)
Team Wellington, New Zealand (OFC)
Al Ain, UAE (AFC)
37 minutes
Brazilian midfielder Leo Silva makes his first carry of the ball forward, and does well, earning a free kick 30 yards out.
Silva, Serginho and Ryota Nagaki stand over it...
38 minutes
And Silva takes it, but that is poor.
About five yards over the bar. Disappointing from the Brazilian.
40 minutes
Just the five minutes left in the first half, and 0-0 is a relatively fair reflection of the game so far.
Neither side has forced too many clear openings. Kashima had their brightest spell very early on while Real Madrid have started to threaten, but failed to seize total control of the game.
41 minutes
Wilton Sampaio has had a quiet game so far but produces his first booking. The referee is not happy with Dani Carvajal who rather clatters into Shuto Yamamoto trying to block the left back's cushioned pass.
42 minutes
Ooh, Dani Carvajal has to be careful.
It looks inadvertent but Carvajal lands awkwardly on the upper achilles of Hiroki Abe after the pair jump for a header.
Had the referee perceived that differently, Carvajal could have been in some bother.
GOAL! Kashima Antlers 0-1 Real Madrid (Gareth Bale, 44 minutes)
So close to half time, Real Madrid lead!
They have looked most dangerous down the left and it is the combination of Gareth Bale and Marcelo who force the opener.
Bale comes inside from wide on the left, feeding the Brazilian on the edge of the box and surging past Daigo Nishi.
Marcelo finds him with a deft side-footed return pass, and Bale drills across Kwoun Sun-Tae, the ball kissing the base of the far post and nestling in the back of the net.
45 + 1 minutes
Into two additional minutes and Shoma Doi shows good ability with the ball at his feet, dribbling past a pair of Real Madrid defenders but hopelessly wasting the crossing opportunity, slicing it for a goal kick.
And the half time whistle blows. Gareth Bale's well-worked goal late in the half gives Real Madrid a 1-0 lead.
The Antlers came into the game as underdogs, but very nearly went ahead with the game firmly in its infancy. Thibaut Courtois first tipped Serginho's low driven shot round the post, and then Gen Shoji nearly found the bottom corner with a glanced header.
But those two chances (both in the first five minutes) were Kashima's best two openings and Real Madrid built as the half wore on, with Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema squandering chances as Real successfully targeted the right side of the Kashima defence.
And it was down that channel that the goal came moments before the interval, Bale combining with Marcelo tucking in and finding the bottom corner to give Santiago Solari's side the halftime lead.
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