Kashima reach Club World Cup semis

Asian champs set up Real clash

AL AIN, United Arab Emirates, Dec 15, (RTRS): Japan’s Kashima Antlers recovered from a goal down to beat Mexico’s Chivas Guadalajara 3-2 in their Club World Cup quarter-final in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.

Substitute Hiroki Abe sealed the comeback with the third goal in the 84th minute, setting up a semifinal against European champions Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Kashima’s Ryota Nagaki cancelled out Angel Zaldivar’s early opener soon after the break before Serginho made it 2-1 with a penalty and Abe extended the lead before a late own goal.

Guadalajara, the CONCACAF champions, took the lead in the third box in the 45th minute.

Kashima started with greater intensity in the second half, levelling in the 49th when Nagaki put away Shoma Doi’s pass. Brazilian Serginho sent Guadalajara goalkeeper Raul Gudino the wrong way from the penalty spot to put the Asian champions ahead in the 69th minute.

Abe’s strike from the left-hand side of the box into the top corner made the score more comfortable for the Asian champions.

Guadalajara got back to 3-2 in the dying minutes when Kashima’s Leo Silva put the ball into his own net after Suntae had saved an Alan Pulido penalty awarded by VAR.

Wednesday’s clash between the European and Asian champions will be a rematch of the 2016 Club World Cup final when Real Madrid beat Kashima 4-2 after extra time.

“This match is going to garner a lot of attention,” said Kashima coach Go Oiwa. “We’ll play aggressively and we’ll play our own football from the very beginning against Real Madrid.”

Japan’s Kashima Antlers Seunghyun Jung, (right), vies for the ball with Mexico’s Guadalajara Alan Pulido during the second round of the Club World Cup soccer match between Kashima Antlers and Guadalajara at the Hazza Bin

Zayed stadium in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates on Dec 15. (AP)