CLUB WORLD CUP – REAL MADRID DEFEATS AL-AHLY (4-1) AND JOINS AL-HILAL IN THE FINAL

February 9, 2023 Admin

CLUBS WORLD CUP – Real Madrid has held its rank. Frankly jostled this Wednesday evening by the Egyptians of Al-Ahly, the people of Madrid still won (4-1) in the semi-finals. Carlo Ancelotti’s men suffered but were able to take advantage of opposing defensive errors to get out of it. They will face Al-Hilal for the title on Saturday night.

Real did not really reassure, but it offered an opportunity to save its start to the year. In front with a score of two goals then seriously jostled by the Egyptians of Al-Ahly, the formation of Carlo Ancelotti finally won (1-4) thanks to goals from Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo and Sergio Arribas. Saturday evening, the Merengue will face Al-Hilal in the final to try to afford the fifth Club World Cup in their history. A possible breath of fresh air after the last complicated outings on the national scene.

We hadn’t really planned to write that before the meeting, no more than the final score evokes it. But Real did indeed tremble on Wednesday evening, in Rabat, against Al-Ahly. Deprived of Thibaut Courtois and Karim Benzema to name the most important executives, but also of Eden Hazard, Lucas Vazquez, Eder Militao or even Ferland Mendy to be more complete, Carlo Ancelotti’s training showed a lot of excitement against the Egyptian giant .

AL AHLY CLOSE TO EQUALIZING

The defeat in the Spanish Super Cup final against Barça in mid-January (1-3) was perhaps not completely digested. That in La Liga on the lawn of Mallorca (1-0), Sunday, either. But we hadn’t really expected that Mohamed Sherif from the left (19th), then Mohamed Abdelmonem (26th) from the head, did not offer the first big chances of the match. No more than we imagined the Egyptians returning to this meeting when they were trailing by two goals, following a penalty naively conceded by an Eduardo Camavinga in great difficulty, unlike in recent weeks, at the post of left rear (1-2, 65th).

If Ali Maaloul reduced the score, Afsha (69th) then Taher Mohamed (79th) had huge chances to equalise. Clearly, Real, which had anything but an extension in this delicate period, was very hot. Fortunately for him, he had made the difference at the best of times. Just before the break, thanks to a subtle ball stung by Vinicius (0-1, 42nd). Then in the wake of the return from the locker room, with a Federico Valverde as fox as technically fine to follow a duel lost by Rodrygo (0-2, 47th).

REAL SUFFERS, BUT A TITLE STILL REACHES OUT TO THEM

The sequel was, for a long time, less convincing, and the Merengues seemed destined to tremble until the end when Luka Modric missed the break penalty (87th) just before eight minutes of added time. But Al-Ahly weakened physically, and Rodrygo (93rd) released his own after a good sequence exchange with Dani Ceballos in the box (1-3, 93rd). For his first ball, the young Sergio Arribas also participated in the celebration with a cross shot from the left (1-4, 98th). Nothing is easy for Real. But a title still reaches out to him.