The Spanish giant won the FIFA Club World Cup for the fifth time. (AFP)
Real Madrid beat Al Hilal 5-3 this Saturday and was proclaimed champion of the Club World Cup for the fifth time in its history, in a duel in which it showed its offensive exuberance against a team led by Ramón Díaz that leaves with its head very high.
For the merengue team they signed two doubles Vinicius Jr. (13 ‘and 69’) and the Uruguayan Federico Valverde (18 ‘and 58’), with a goal for the captain Karim Benzema (54′).
The goals of al hilal they were the work of the Malian moussa marega (26) and the Argentine Luciano Viettoin duplicate (63′ and 78′).
With his triumph, he real Madrid extends its dominance in the competition with five conquests, two more than Barcelona -second club with more titles-. It also has three Intercontinentals -predecessor of this trophy- in its showcases.
? #W8RLDCHAMPIONS ? pic.twitter.com/RdkO71WUFM
— Real Madrid CF (@realmadrid) February 11, 2023
move the ball fast
Madrid was clear that moving the ball with speed in the Príncipe Moulay Abdellah stadium was the key to disarming the rival and they executed the plan without hesitation.
This is how the first of a fun goal festival fell: the team combined until Benzema read the uncheck into the space of ‘I came’, who looked up and chose to finish off low. Goalkeeper and captain Abudllah Almayouf touched the ball before it went in.
He was also about to stop the volley of valverde which meant 2-0 after a bad clearance from a subdued defense.
In the midst of the white goals, Al Hilal’s first chance had arrived, with a shot that brushed Vietto’s post (14′).
?? REAL MADRID WINNING THE WORLD CUP OF CLUBES FOR THE FIFTH TIME! ⚪
?????@real Madrid | #ClubWC
— FIFA World Cup ? (@fifaworldcup_es) February 11, 2023
With two goals ahead and 70 minutes to play, overconfidence was the main adversary of the European champion.
And it happened. A robbery and a ball into space were candy at the door of a school for an athlete like Maregawho executed goalkeeper Andriy Lunin with a powerful shot.
Before the break, the last flash of white was a ball hung by Valverde that Benzema finished off first not far from one of the posts (41′).
The next time it didn’t fail. It was Vinícius who crossed from the left with the outside so that he appeared in the heart of the area and scored.
Vietto, class double
Valverde, already a scorer in the semifinals, sealed his double by shooting a wall with Dani Carvajal and finishing almost from the small area.
There was half an hour left to play and Ancelotti withdrew Benzema, who received a spectacular ovation. The public also fired big to Luka modric minutes later.
The brilliant white attack contrasted with the fragility of his defense. Vietto he won Antonio Rudiger’s back and defined with great class to make it 4-2.
‘Vini Jr.’ he closed the white account by taking advantage of a dribble that went wide for Dani Ceballos, who had entered a few minutes earlier.
The game was broken and Vietto, in a nice maneuver, turned around to also sign his double.
Next, it was Marega who had a very clear shot that would have put spice at the end of the game (80 ‘). He failed and Al Hilal surrendered to a lethal team since 2014: five times European champion and already five times world champion.
