European champions Chelsea will face Monterrey in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup after the Mexican side defeated South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai 3-1 in Japan yesterday.
In the intercontinental tournament’s other quarter-final, Al Ahly of Egypt beat J-League winners Sanfrecce Hiroshima to set up a dream last-four tie with Brazilian giants Corinthians.
CONCACAF champions Monterrey went through thanks to two goals from forward Cesar Delgado and one from midfielder Jesus Corona, in a match that saw the camera-based goal-line technology Hawk-Eye used for the first time.
The victory at a largely empty 36,000-capacity Toyota Stadium avenged Monterrey’s defeat in the same round last year when they crashed out on penalties to Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol.
“The experience of last year was really helpful to us,” Monterrey coach Victor Vucetich said.
“This time we were better prepared. We knew Ulsan had a lot of tall players so we tried to pass (along the ground) and break their style (of play).
“Chelsea are a well-known team in the world but we are confident and we are not going to lose any hope. We will be playing to win.”
Ulsan coach Kim Ho-Gon said: “We analysed our opponents and prepared for the match but we were simply just not able to play in our own style.
“Our opponents had really great organisational and individual skill, and we were not able to make the match ours or fully leverage our capabilities,” he added, saying his charges lacked experience of playing in “such a big game”.
Al Ahly, wearing black armbands in memory of the 72 fans who died in the Port Said Stadium disaster in February, started at a frenetic pace and got their reward after only 15 minutes when Elsayed Hamdi scored from inside the box.
Hiroshima levelled on 32 minutes when top scorer in the J-League last season Hisato Sato fired a shot underneath goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy as the Egyptians were down to ten men with Hossam Ghaly receiving treatment off the pitch.
The Japanese champions spurned two opportunities before the half-time whistle blew – chances they would rue 12 minutes into the second half when substitute Mohamed Aboutrika pounced to score after a defensive slip-up.
Al Ahly, seven-time African champions, will take on Copa Libertadores winners Corinthians in Toyota on Wednesday. Monterrey will play Chelsea at Yokohama International Stadium the next day.