10.47pm: World Champions!!
The moment Real Madrid lifted the Club World Cup trophy...
🙌🏆🎉 WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!#RMCWC | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/qHSDacEAli
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) December 22, 2018
10.30pm: Deserved praise for Al Ain
Congratulations to Real Madrid: worthy champions for a third successive year. But no team has brought more excitement or drama to the tournament than host club Al Ain. They fought back from 3-0 down in their play-off against Team Wellington, they crushed African champions Esperance de Tunis in the quarter-finals, then stunned South America's finest, River Plate, in the semi-finals.
As such, Al Ain deserve all the praise heading their way.
There you have it: Real Madrid win 4-1 to seal 3rd successive #ClubWC. Incredible effort from Al Ain through whole tournament. Brilliant as host side. pic.twitter.com/OIRtxDmScb
— John McAuley (@_JMcAuley) December 22, 2018
Congratulations to #AGLeague champions @alainfcae_en on winning the #ClubWC silver medal! 👏🥈
— Arabian ↔️ Gulf ↔️ League (@AGLeague_EN) December 22, 2018
You did us proud! 🇦🇪 pic.twitter.com/gIMMSqdeOF
10.25pm: Real Madrid create Club World Cup history
Real Madrid are now the most successful team in Club World Cup history - becoming the first side to win three titles in a row. They also stand alone on four titles overall.
The National's Paul Radley is at Zayed Sports City Stadium. Here is his on the whistle report.
10.19pm: GOAL! Real Madrid 4 Al Ain 1
Real Madrid restore their three-goal lead as Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior forces an own goal.
10.13pm: GOAL! Real Madrid 3 Al Ain 1
The UAE champions pull back a consolation goal with four minutes remaining, Tsukasa Shiotani with the finish.
10.06pm: GOAL! Real Madrid 3 Al Ain 0
Real Madrid's domination is rewarded with another goal as captain Sergio Ramos rises to head home from a corner in the 78th minute. Game over, now, and it's just a matter of time before Real collect their third successive Club World Cup title.
9.55pm: Current Al Ain mood...
Current Al Ain mood. #ClubWC pic.twitter.com/Tjyz1inrOF
— John McAuley (@_JMcAuley) December 22, 2018
9.47pm: GOAL! Real Madrid 2 Al Ain 0
Another stunning goal from the European champions, this time Marcos Llorente firing home a low half volley on the hour. Al Ain will need to produce something remarkable from here.
9.17pm: Al Ain still well in the match
Half-time here at Zayed Sports City Stadium, and Al Ain are still well in the match. As expected, Madrid are dominant and thus deservedly 1-0 up, with host goalkeeper Khalid Essa doing his best to seal that player of the tournament award. Al Ain need to get Marcus Berg and Caio into the game more. Worth remembering this represents the UAE champions' sixth match in 19 days. Big ask for next 45 minutes. John McAuley
8.44pm: GOAL! Real Madrid 1 Al Ain 0
Moments after nearly conceding, Real Madrid go up the other end and score. A fine, curling finish from Luka Modric in the 14th minute.
8.15pm: Mission Possible?
With just 15 minutes until kick-off, now is the ideal chance to read John McAuley's piece on Al Ain and their dream of shocking the world.
[ Mission Possible: The dream can become reality for Al Ain ]
7.45pm: Team news for the final
Al Ain make only one change to the side that defeated River Plate in the semi-final, with Rayan Yaslem coming in for Ahmed Barman.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid have gone with their big guns again, with Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema all starting. Isco and Casemiro take their place on the bench.
Teams for #ClubWC: Rayan Yaslam in for Al Ain, with Ahmed Barman on bench. Real Madrid have Ramos, Marcelo, Modric, Kroos, Bale, Benzem... pic.twitter.com/v5feGqLqLN
— John McAuley (@_JMcAuley) December 22, 2018
7.24pm: Full-time - River Plate finish third
After the disappointment of losing in the semi-final, River Plate depart Abu Dhabi on a positive note thanks to a 4-0 thrashing of Kashima Antlers. Bruno Zuculini broke the deadlock with a towering header, before Gonzalo Martinez doubled River's lead. Rafael Borre's penalty made it 3-0, and the rout was completed deep in injury time when Martinez grabbed his second. A fine performance from the South American champions.
7.22pm: GOAL! River Plate 4 Kashima Antlers 0
Gonzalo Martinez has his second and what a goal it was! Martinez fired home from the edge of the area into the top corner. It is officially a rout now.
7.15pm: GOAL! River Plate 3 Kashima Antlers 0
Rafael Borre slots home from the penalty spot in the 88th minute to ensure victory for the South American champions.
7pm: GOAL! River Plate 2 Kashima Antlers 0
River double their lead on 73 minutes through Gonzalo Martinez. That should be job done now for the Argentines.
6.50pm: Tifo boys en route...
Al Ain's tifos have been one of the star attractions of the tournament, and we can't wait to see what they have in store for the final.
6.20pm: River Plate lead at the break
Bruno Zuculini's 24th minute header separates the two teams at half-time. River Plate 45 minutes away from victory.
5.56pm: GOAL! River Plate 1 Kashima Antlers 0
Bruno Zuculini scores in the 24th minute to hand the Copa Libertadores champions the lead at Zayed Sports City Stadium.
5pm: Third-place play-off teams announced
Before the big one at 8.30pm, River Plate and Kashima Antlers do battle for the bronze medal at 5.30pm. Here are the teams...
FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 - 3rd Place Playoff @CARPoficial line up #ClubWC pic.twitter.com/P1P0eiEZ7h
— مجلس أبوظبي الرياضي (@AbuDhabiSC) December 22, 2018
FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 - 3rd Place Playoff @atlrs_official line up #ClubWC pic.twitter.com/3jmkzF6ham
— مجلس أبوظبي الرياضي (@AbuDhabiSC) December 22, 2018
4.50pm: How they got here
Al Ain booked their place in the Club World Cup final with a remarkable penalty shootout win over Argentina's River Plate, before Gareth Bale's hat-trick led Real Madrid past Kashima Antlers in their semi-final.
Here's how both clubs got to the final:
This was the moment when host team @alainfcae_en advanced to the #ClubWC final 👐🇦🇪
— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) December 22, 2018
Will they be celebrating again today? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/q0RRkrCfUW
👀 Want to see how @realmadriden reached the #ClubWC final?
— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) December 22, 2018
🎩 @GarethBale11 scored a hat-trick against Kashima to set up a meeting with @alainfcae_en pic.twitter.com/mbt3OBIJIN
4.20pm: Eyes on the prize
Eyes on the prize. #ClubWC pic.twitter.com/c7xznC38Ng
— John McAuley (@_JMcAuley) December 22, 2018
3.35pm: The difference makers
Who will be the Club World Cup final hero(es)? John McAuley picks five players each from Al Ain and Real Madrid who could prove the difference-makers. Scroll through the photo gallery below by clicking on the arrows, or if using a mobile device, simply swipe.
3pm History will be made
So, here we are. Ten days after the 2018 Fifa Club World Cup began we are down to the final, and what a tournament decider it will be.
European champions Real Madrid, bidding for a record fourth title in the competition and third in a row, take on Al Ain, representing the host nation, who have shown tremendous spirit in their run to the final.
No side from outside Europe or Brazil has ever won the Club World Cup so Al Ain would be creating history if Zoran Mamic's side can prevail.
The final, at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi, starts at 8.30pm. If the sides finish level then there will be 30 minutes of extra time, and then penalties.
Before that there is the third-place play-off at 5.30pm with Argentina's River Plate taking on Japanese side Kashima Antlers.
Stick with us on this blog for all the build-up, news, and match action from Abu Dhabi!
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Read more
Real Madrid v Al Ain: The players who can decide the Fifa Club World Cup final
[ Zoran Mamic: Al Ain must dare to dream to conquer Real Madrid in Fifa Club World Cup final ]
