Gareth Bale came off the bench to book Real Madrid‘s place in the Club World Cup final as the European champions recovered from the shock of going behind to beat Emirati champions Al Jazira 2-1 on Wednesday.
Despite dominating throughout, Madrid trailed at half-time to Romarinho’s opener in a match also marred by use of the video assistant referee (VAR) that ruled out a goal for both sides.
Madrid’s pressure finally paid off 10 minutes into the second half when Cristiano Ronaldo levelled before Bale broke Al Jazira‘s resistence with his first touch eight minutes from time.
Here, we analyse the performances of two pivotal players, Ronaldo and Ali Mabkhout.
EFFECTIVENESS
MABKHOUT
In the battle of the talismanic No7s, the UAE international more than held his own.
Al Jazira were always going to be starved of possession with their only avenue a quick ball out from the back on the counter.
Under the circumstances, Mabkhout fared well as the primary outlet, taking the high ball in with neat control to set up dangerous attacks.
He alleviated the heavy pressure on Jazira’s midfield but while the 27-year-old largely used the ball intelligently, he’ll rue not getting on the scoresheet.
Ultimately, Mabkhout is in the side to score goals and when clean through after the break, he opted to square for the marginally-offside Mbark Boussoufa.
One v one, you expect him to apply the finish and it cost Jazira.
Still, it was the only blemish on an otherwise effective display and his impression will no doubt have clubs in Europe taking notice.
Ali Mabkhout (C) takes on Marcelo (R) and Achraf Hakimi (L)
RONALDO
Operating in his usual menacing spot on the left of Madrid’s front three, Ronaldo was Real’s main source of attack but in truth Jazira stopper Ali Khaseif turned out to be the source of his frustration.
Indeed, Ronaldo’s movement off the ball is among the very best in the world with his timing making it incredibly difficult for the Jazira back line to mark him.
It meant the apex predator was able to get into dangerous positions time and time again only for Khaseif to produce the performance of his career.
In the opening 10 minutes alone, Ronaldo had four golden opportunities only to be magnificently thwarted by the Emirati stopper.
In truth, had Kaseif not exited the game early after the break through injury, the Portuguese superstar may have never have found the breakthrough.
However, history arrived when he surpassed Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Cesar Delgado to notch his sixth FIFA Club World Cup goal and equalise with a trademark clinical finish.
He switched to the spearhead of Real’s attack when Bale entered the frame and it will be interesting to see how Zidane shapes his forward line with the Welshman returning.
Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo celebrate the former’s winner
KEY MOMENTS
MABKHOUT
10th min CHANCE: Mabkhout is quick onto a long ball in the right channel, he darts into the penalty area, drops his shoulder past Nacho but instead of shaping up to shoot his misplaced pass to Mbark Boussoufa on the opposite flank allows Madrid to get back into shape to clear.
21st min CHANCE: Al Jazira spring into attack from a Real corner and the blistering counter-attack ends with Mabkhout sliding an effort from just outside the box wide of the left-hand corner.
47th min GOAL DISALLOWED: A Madrid corner is easily dealt with by Al Jazira, allowing them counter-attack quickly. Their opponents have absolutely nobody back to defend, allowing Mabkhout to burst into the box before teeing up Boussoufa for the simplest of tap ins only for VAR to cancel it out.
66th min CHANCE: Slick touch and turn from Mabkhout in centre-midfield and he releases Romarinho who swings a 20-yard strike wide of Navas’ near post.
Ali Mabkhout is a picture of focus against Madrid
RONALDO
4th min SHOT: Kovacic tees up Ronaldo with a slick rabona and the Portuguese takes a touch to set himself before lashing a thumping striker just over the bar.
5th min CHANCE: Just a minute later and Ronaldo should have opened the scoring. He bursts through the Al Jazira back line, plays in Isco who then finds Ronaldo with the cross but his header is just parried away by Ali Khaseif at the near post.
7th min CHANCE: Again it’s Ronaldo with a great opportunity as a whipped in cross from the right is lasered into a rising Ronaldo who forces Khaseif into another outstanding stop.
53rd min GOAL: Ronaldo finally finds the finish with his ninth shot. A lovely through-ball from Modric splits the Al Jazira defence in two and perfectly picks out Ronaldo. The Portuguese gets the better of his marker and quickly shoots, and his low effort easily manages to find the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
VERDICT
MABKHOUT
Far from outshone by his opposing No7, the UAE international relieved the suffocating pressure with tight touches under the high ball and an intelligent use of it after that.
Will regret not taking the shot on himself but an admirable performance one of the Arabian Gulf League’s finest forwards.
RATING: 7/10
RONALDO
Took nine shots to eventually get his finish, emblematic of his entire season really, but was predictable a constant threat and took his goal adroitly.
Now the competitions record scorer and there’s every chance he’ll stretch that further in the final.
RATING: 7/10
