Gareth Bale hits 11-minute hat-trick to put Real Madrid in Club World Cup final
They won 3-1 against Kashima Antlers on Wednesday and play Al-Ain in Saturday's final
Gareth Bale hit an 11 minute hat-trick to book Real Madrid’s place in Saturday’s Club World Cup final against Al-Ain as the European champions crushed Kashina Antlers 3-1.
KAS
1 ________________ 3
RMD
LINE UP
Kashima Antlers
Kwoun; Nishi (Anzai, 56'), Jung, Shoji, Yamamoto; Nagaki (Uchida, 46'), Leo Silva, Endo (Leandro, 81'), Abe; Serginho y Doi.
Real Madrid
Courtois; Carvajal, Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Marcos Llorente, Modric, Kroos; Lucas Vázquez (Isco, 68'), Bale (Marco Asensio, 60') (Casemiro, 74') y Benzema.
Árbitro
Wilton Sampaio (Brasil), con Mauro Vigliano (Argentina) al frente del VAR. Mostró tarjeta amarilla a Yamamoto, por el Kashimas Antlers, y a Carvajal.
Goles
0-1 M. 44 Bale. 0-2 M. 53 Bale. 0-3 M. 55 Bale. 1-3 M. 78 Doi.
Incidencias
Partido disputado en el Zayed Sports City Stadium de Abu Dhabi ante 28.000 espectadores.
The Welsh winger, back from injury, broke the deadlock just before half-time after exchanging passes with Marcelo and firing in off the post past Kwoun Sun-tae.
Thibaut Courtois had kept out an effort from Serginho and Gen Shoji missed a good chance as the Japanese Asian Champions League winners impressed in the first half.
However Bale, who became the third player to score in three different editions of the Club World Cup - behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - had more to add.
Karim Benzema had an effort cleared off the line before goalkeeper Sun-tae and defender Shuto Yamamoto had a mix-up and Bale strolled in to tap home his second in the 52nd minute.
Three minutes later and he completed his hat-trick, again teaming up with Marcelo before finishing well.
In the final stages Shoma Doi pulled one back for Kashima but it was too little, too late.
Madrid, who have won the last two Club World Cups, are now going for their third in a row on Saturday.
