Club World Cup : Ighalo’s Al-Hilal suffers heartbreak as Real Madrid win big

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Club World Cup : Odion Ighalo and Al-Hilal’s hopes were crushed in an eight goal thriller in the CWC finals with Real Madrid emerging eventual winners of the 5-3 contest.

It’s the second trophy of the season after they won the Uefa Super Cup at the start of the season. 

They took the lead on 13 minutes when Benzema swapped passes with Valverde and from the Frenchman’s pass, Vinicius’ finished past Abdullah Al-Mayouf in Al-Hilal’s goal.

Odion Ighalo who did’t start the game watched on as Valverde blasted home a loose ball in the area after Luka Modric’s cross had not been cleared.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side clinched a fifth Club World Cup title in Morocco with goals coming from Fede Valverde who got a brace alongside Vinicius Jr’s brace to secure victory with Karim Benzema also netting one.

It was Valverde’s 10th goal of the season in all competitions with a brace in the Club World Cup finals after he had a bet at the start of the season with Ancellotti that if he didn’t get into double figures he would rip up his coaching badges.

Just as it looked as if Madrid would run away with the final Moussa Marega pulled a goal back for the Saudi Arabian champions.

It was a long ball over the top for Marega who raced clear and slipped his shot under the dive of Andriy Lunin who was playing in place of the injured Thibaut Courtois.

If Madrid feared it would slip away from them in the second half they found another gear.

Vinicius was the architect of the third. After linking up well with Eduardo Camavinga he crossed with the outside of his right foot for Benzema to score.

And with their next attack it was four when Dani Carvajal crossed from the right and Valverde got his second clipping the ball over Al-Mayouf.

They had brushed off Egyptian side Al Ahly 4-1 in the semi-finals, the round the European champions always enter the tournament.

Asian champions Al-Hilal, who are managed by former Oxford United boss Ramon Diaz, beat Brazilians Flamengo in the semis to become the first Saudi team to reach the final.

But despite the double from former Fulham striker Vietto they could not become the first Asian team to lift the trophy.

FIFA plans to change the format of the tournament from June 2025 to feature 32 teams and be held every four years.

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