AFC Champions League holders Kashima Antlers scored three second-half goals to beat Mexico’s Guadalajara 3-2 in the quarter-finals of the 2018 Club World Cup on Saturday and set up a semi-final against Real Madrid.
The CONCACAF champions roared into an early lead thanks to Angel Zaldivar’s third-minute goal, but Ryota Nagaki equalised in Al Ain.
Kashima went ahead through Serginho’s 69th-minute penalty and Hiroki Abe secured victory, making Leo Silva’s own goal deep in injury time academic.
Kashima’s meeting with Madrid on Wednesday will be a re-run of the 2016 final, which the Spanish giants won 4-2 after extra-time.
Santiago Solari’s superstars will travel to the UAE after their La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano late on Saturday.
Chivas looked on course for a positive CWC debut when Mexico striker Zaldivar headed in after excellent work from Isaac Brizeula out wide. Zaldivar went close again soon after, before midfielder Orbelin Pineda rattled the woodwork on the stroke of half-time.
Kashima refused to be cowed and came back strong after the interval. Nagaki turned in Shoma Doi’s superb centre, and then the latter-mentioned was felled inside the area to allow Brazilian attacking midfielder Serginho to do the rest from 12 yards.
A superb third then followed in the 84th minute when substitute Abe expertly curled home.
Even a frantic injury time, which included the video-assistant referee awarding a penalty that Silva would eventually deflect into his own goal, could not dampen Kashima’s hopes.
