Club World Cup: Real Madrid Crush Al Ahly 4-1 To Enter Final

Real Madrid advanced to the Club World Cup final with a convincing 4-1 victory over Egypt's Al Ahly on Wednesday in Morocco, fueled by goals from Vinicius Junior, Fede Valverde, Rodrygo, and Sergio Arribas.

The European champions seized the lead just before the half-time whistle, with Vinicius deftly chipping the ball over the keeper, and Valverde following it up with a thunderous strike soon after the break.

A 5-goal-thriller sees Los Blancos heading to the #ClubWC Final! ⚪️

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) February 8, 2023

Although Al Ahly reduced the deficit from the penalty spot, Madrid kept their composure and sealed the win with a string of clinical finishes.

Rodrygo added a clinical finish in stoppage time, following a slick combination with Dani Ceballos, while Arribas wrapped up the victory with a confident finish. A late penalty miss by Luka Modric, who was allegedly distracted by laser pointers shone at his face from the stands.

Madrid advanced to face Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal in Saturday's final.

"I am grateful to my teammates for their support during this challenging time," said Valverde, who is reportedly facing some personal problems away from the game.

"They have always been there to offer me words of encouragement, and it was especially special to score a goal and celebrate with them. Now, we must rest and prepare well to win the final."

Madrid, the record four-time Club World Cup champions, hoped that the tournament would provide a welcome distraction from their domestic struggles, after falling eight points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona on Sunday following a 1-0 defeat at Real Mallorca. 

Missing Karim Benzema and Thibaut Courtois, Carlo Ancelotti's side managed to overcome Al Ahly's tight defense, with Vinicius and Rodrygo both testing the keeper and hitting the post.

Al Ahly, who had beaten MLS side Seattle Sounders and Auckland City on their way to the semifinals, put up a stern resistance, but Madrid's persistence paid off, with Vinicius capitalizing on a defensive mistake to break the deadlock and set the tone for the rest of the game.

Ancelotti was able to field defender David Alaba for the first time since his injury, as Madrid marched on towards their fifth Club World Cup title.