Madrid rallies to beat Al Jazira, enter Club World Cup final
MUMBAI: Ajay Shelar scored a superb hat-trick to inspire D.K. Pharma SC to an emphatic 5-0 win against Vintage Dahisar FC in a one-side First Division match of the MDFA League played at the St. Xavier’s ground, Parel. Shelar’s strikers upfront, Farhan Kinikar and Monis Bubere scored one each to seal the Pharma outfit’s big win. Earlier in another match of the same division, Sterling Das FA blanked Indian Cultural League 3-0. Omair Momin played the key role with two strikes, while Sachin Badigar added one to complete the rout of Indian Cultural League. Results (First Div): Sterling Das FA 3 (Omair Momin 2, Sachin Badigar) beat Indian Cultural League 0. D.K. Pharma SC 5 (Ajay Shelar 3, Farhan Kinikar, Monis Bubere) beat Vintage Dahisar FC 0. MUMBAI: Mangalore Blues SC and Karnatak Amateur SC comfortably won their respective third round league matches of the 22nd Late Shri Ramanath Payyade Memorial Football Tournament 2017-18, organised by the Karnatak Sporting Association and played at the KSA ground, Cross Maidan. In the first match Mangalore Blues dominated play and scored their goals through Pratik Shetty and Aditya Shetty both netting a brace of goals each, while Lekhraj Kotian and Rishil Shetty scored one goal each to complete the win. In the second match of the day, Karnatak Amateurs also enjoyed total control to defeat Union SC by 5 goals to nil. Nimesh Shetty scored two goal, while Clayton D’Souza, Alroy D’Souza and Svizor Pinto chipped in with one apiece to round off the winning margin. MUMBAI: Christ Church scored a thrilling 34-28 win over hosts Mastan YMCA’s junior string on the opening day of the Mastan YMCA Basketball tournament, held at their courts at Agripada. The tie was tensely fought affair all the way with just a point or two separating them. After both were locked at 24-all at the regulation period, Christ Church boys, attacking relentlessly, sank quick baskets during the extra time, while their defence effectively blocked their rivals from finding their target to emerge 34-28 winners. In other ties in the same section, Wellingdon YMCA outplayed Thane Police boys 36-10, and International YMCA House routed hosts’s ‘D’ team 34-3. Javed Juneja, the local municipal corporator inaugurated the event, in which 85-teams are taking part. Gareth Bale needed less than a minute to help Real Madrid reach the Club World Cup final after his team faced a potential shock elimination from the tournament.
Bale scored with his first touch after coming on as a substitute in the 81st minute as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Emirates club Al Jazira 2-1 in the semi-final.
Madrid will try to win its third world title in four seasons when its faces South American champion Gremio of Brazil on Saturday. The match had two goals disallowed by video review, one for each team. There was confusion when Madrid's first-half goal was ruled out by a decision that took a few minutes before the Video Assistant Referee became involved.
Madrid struggled early and allowed the local league winners to open the scoring with a goal by Brazilian forward Romarinho just before half-time.
But Cristiano Ronaldo equalized early in the second half and Bale netted the winner less than a minute after replacing Karim Benzema.
The Wales forward, coming off a series of injuries, scored with a low left-foot touch from the centre of the area after a pass by forward Lucas Vazquez, who had also come off the bench.
He has played only 11 matches with Madrid this season because of lingering muscle problems.
"Bale is all about scoring goals," Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez said.
European clubs have made it to the Club World Cup final every time since the competition's new format started in 2005, winning nine out of the last 10 titles.
Madrid, which fielded its top players, was in control from the start but made a series of mistakes in front of goal and couldn't capitalize on its numerous chances.
Al Jazira goalkeeper Ali Khaseif made several saves before being substituted with an apparent injury early in the second half.
Madrid appeared to have opened the scoring with a header by midfielder Casemiro in the 30th minute.
Brazilian referee Sandro Meira Ricci initially disallowed the goal, then said it counted and carried the ball back toward the centre circle for the restart, only to eventually rule it out again after requesting a video review. He signalled that his final decision, made nearly three minutes after the goal, was based on Benzema being offside.
"The issue of video review is not something that is up to me to decide, but I think football is better off without it," Bale said.