Ronaldo scores winner as Real Madrid win Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi

Matt Jones - Editor 23:01 16/12/2017
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  • Ronaldo netted a second-half free-kick winner.

    Cristiano Ronaldo cemented his place as the greatest goalscorer in the competition’s history as Real Madrid clinched a third FIFA Club World Cup in four years in Abu Dhabi.

    Madrid go head to head with fellow La Liga giants Barcelona in the first Clasico of the Spanish season next week, and Los Blancos warmed up for the famous clash with their fierce rivals by drawing level with them on three FIFA Club World Cup titles on Saturday night.

    Ronaldo’s seventh goal in his eighth Club World Cup outing paved the way for more historic success – they become the first side to retain the trophy after victory over Japan’s Kashima Antlers a year ago.

    Real and Barca, two great behemoths of the game, have claimed six of the 14 Club World Cups contested since 2000.

    On the night, referee Cesar Ramos failed to produce a card in the opening minutes when Gremio captain Pedro Geromel dragged his studs down the back of Cristiano Ronaldo’s right calf.

    The game produced little either for the first 20 minutes, Real right-back Dani Carvajal’s ferocious first-time volley the first effort in anger.

    Real dominated the ball but were faced a sea of blue whenever they got within sight of goal, Luka Modric flashing an effort wide while Ronaldo hesitated as Walter Kannemann made a crucial tackle.

    Gremio’s best effort was a belter from right-back Edilson, his 35-yard free-kick thunderbolt just clearing the crossbar as Keylor Navas scrambled across.

    A fairly tame opening stanza was followed by near total dominance by the men in bright white after the interval.

    Ronaldo broke the deadlock, much to the delight of the majority inside Zayed Sports City Stadium, eight minutes into it. His free-kick blasted through the tiniest of gaps in the wall and beyond the desperate grasp of Marcelo Grohe.

    He would have had two minutes later, but for the linesman wrongly ruling Karim Benzema offside.

    The magical Luka Modric rifled a dipping drive that Grohe did well to tip onto his post as relentless Real poured forward.

    It was a grim end for Gremio coach Renato Portaluppi, part of the side that won the 1983 Intercontinental Cup, a previous incarnation of the competition – his side managing just one shot all match.

    Gareth Bale emerged from the bench late on and his nonchalant effort with the outside of his left boot needed tipping over by Grohe, but it stayed 1-0, as dominant a display as that scoreline has ever looked.

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