The Kashima Antlers yesterday became the first Japanese side to reach the FIFA Club World Cup final when they beat Colombia’s South American champions Atletico Nacional 3-0.
Kashima’s first goal came after 33 minutes, when Shoma Doi converted a penalty given for an off-the-ball trip by Orlando Berrio on Daigo Nishi after video evidence was used to award a spot-kick for the first time in a FIFA competition.
Yasushi Endo scored the Antlers’ second after 83 minutes, taking advantage of an error by goalkeeper Franco Armani to back-heel a loose ball into the empty net.
Atletico’s heads went down and two minutes later substitute Yuma Suzuki, who had just come on, side-footed home a third goal from close range after Mu Kanazaki’s pass across the face of goal.
The result means Japan’s J-league champions are to face the winners of today’s semi-final between Real Madrid and Mexico’s Club America. The final is scheduled for Sunday.
Atletico were the better side, especially in the first half, with 23 shots on goal to Kashima’s 10. However, they could not find a way past Kashima veteran goalkeeper Hitoshi Sogahata and they paid the price when they were caught on the break.
The loss in their 83rd match of the year capped a traumatic few weeks for Atletico.
The Copa Libertadores champions were scheduled to face Chapecoense in the final of the Copa Sudamericana last month, but a plane crash killed most of the Brazilian side as their flight approached Medellin, Colombia, and the game was canceled.
Two weeks of mourning followed in Colombia and Brazil, upsetting their preparations for the Club World Cup.
The use of video assistance to review “match-changing” decisions was allowed to be used during yesterday’s semi-final for the first time in a FIFA competition.
Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai was called to the side of the pitch after half an hour to watch an incident replayed on a computer.
Kassai adjudged Berrio to have tripped Daigo as the players moved into the box to challenge for a free-kick.
Earlier, Asian champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors thrashed African side Mamelodi Sundowns 4-1 to claim fifth place in the competition.
Kim Bo-kyung scored his second goal of the tournament in the first half and Lee Jong-ho, playing in his last game for Jeonbuk, doubled the advantage 10 minutes later.
Jeonbuk went into the break 3-0 ahead when Jang Yun-ho’s low cross was turned into the net by Sundowns defender Ricardo Nascimento.
The Sundowns pulled one back three minutes into the second half, when Percy Tau found the top corner with a left-footed strike.
Kim Shin-wook’s header off a corner-kick at the end sealed the win.
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