Al Ain Ends as Runners Up in the FIFA Club World Cup- UAE 2018
With the presence 40,969 fans and lovers of football, Al Ain wrote their name in golden letters in this global event on Saturday 22nd December by being the unexpected and incredible runners up for the first time in the history of the whole Gulf region. Real Madrid lifted the Fifa Club World Cup for a record fourth time after beating Al Ain 4-1 in the final in Abu Dhabi thanks to impressive strikes from distance by midfielders Luka Modric “14” and Marcos Llorente “60”, a header from Ramos “79” and Nader Yahiya by mistake into his own net “90+1”. Al Ain only goal was scored by Shiotani “86”.
Croatian coach Zoran Mamic started the match with following names: Khalid Issa, Ismael Ahmed, Shiotani, Mohamed Ahmed, Mohamed Fayez, Doumbia, Rayan Yaslam, Mohamed Abdel Rahman, Caio, EL Shahat, Berg.
The match rhythm was so quick and Al Ain’s intentions were clear but Real Madrid exerted high pressure when Marcelo tried to take advantage of the space in the back line. However, Al Ain responded by a counterattack led by Caio and Varan did not deal with the ball rightly to find Berg who sent it away from the goal frame.
Real Madrid players were active seeking to score the leading goal, but at the 10th minute El Shahat was so close to score Al Ain’s leading goal when he received a ball from the middle of the pitch and made it very fast and dodged Marcelo and Varan and shot deep into the goal but hit Ramos and turned into a corner.
It did not take Real Madrid much time to launch a counter attack and Modric opened the scoring in the 14th minute, taking one touch before thumping the ball into the bottom corner from outside the box to break the deadlock after Al Ain had missed two early chances to take a shock lead.
From that point, Real dominated the contest and their home-grown midfielder Llorente doubled the European champions’ lead on the hour-mark with a superbly struck volley from outside the area.
Real’s captain, Sergio Ramos, then grabbed his side’s third goal with a powerful header following a corner before Al Ain, who shocked South American champions River Plate in the semi-finals, scored a late consolation goal through Japanese defender Tsukasa Shiotani.
A free-kick sent by Caio into the box is flicked over Courtois and into the top corner by Shiotani “88”.
Real substitute Vinícius Júnior then burst through in stoppage time and fired in a shot that defender Yahia Nader diverted into his own net to complete the rout “90+1”.
