Percy Tau of Mamelodi Sundowns is tackled by Jaesung Lee of Jeonbuk Hyundai during the Fifa World Cup match for fifth place between Mamelodi Sundowns and Jeonbuk Hyundai at Suita City Football Stadium yesterday in Suita, Japan. — Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images
Cape Town — Mamelodi Sundowns were handed a 4-1 hiding by South Korean outfit, Jeonbuk Hyundai, in their Fifa Club World Cup fifth-place playoff match yesterday.
After losing 2-0 in the quarter-finals to Japanese outfit, Kashima Antlers, Sundowns had a last chance to lift their spirits before boarding a plane back to South Africa.
However, it was not to be as Pitso Mosimane’s charges were once again humbled at the Suita City Football Stadium in Osaka, Japan.
It took Jeonbuk 18 minutes to break the deadlock as Kim Bo-kyung blasted the Koreans into the lead from close range.
Eleven minutes later Sundowns were two goals down following a beautifully taken free-kick by Lee Jong-ho that beat Denis Onyango in goal.
The situation went from bad to worse when Sundowns defender Ricardo Nascimento put the ball into the back of his own net after 41 minutes.
Sundowns began the second half in a rejuvenated mood as Percy Tau got the reigning Caf Champions League holders on the scoresheet. The star forward curled his strike into the top-right corner to make the score 3-1 in the 48th minute.
The Brazilians went in search of a second goal and in the 59th minute Tiyani Mabunda came close to scoring, only for ‘keeper Hong Jungnam to make a top save.
Jeonbuk showed their quality for the remainder of the encounter as they kept their South African opponents at bay.
The Korean side put the game to bed in the 89th minute through Kim Shin-wook.
Sundowns will hope they can fare better and climb the PSL table when they return to South Africa.
Mosimane’s side will face Baroka FC on Thursday, December 22 in their final match of the year before the festive season break.
Meeanwhile, Kashima Antlers became the first Japanese side to reach the Club World Cup final when they beat Colombia’s South American champions Atletico Nacional 3-0 yesterday.
Kashima’s first goal came after 33 minutes when Shoma Doi converted a penalty given for an off-the-ball trip by Orlando Berrio on Daigo Nishi after video evidence was used to award a spot kick for the first time in a Fifa competition.
Yasushi Endo scored the Antlers’ second after 83 minutes when he took advantage of an error by goalkeeper Franco Armani to backheel a loose ball into the empty net.
Atletico’s heads went down and two minutes later substitute Yuma Suzuki, who had just come on, sidefooted home a third from close range after Mu Kanazaki’s ball across the face of goal.
The result means Japan’s J-league champions will face the winners of today’s semifinal between Real Madrid and Mexico’s Club America. The final is scheduled for Sunday.
Atletico were the better side, especially in the first half, with 23 shots at goal to Kashima’s 10. However, they could not find a way past Kashima’s veteran goalkeeper Hitoshi Sogahata and they paid the price when they were caught on the break.
“We hit the bar and we had clear chances and those would have given use the composure to play our game,” Atletico coach Reinaldo Rueda said.
“We’re very sad.”
The loss in their 83rd match of the year capped a traumatic few weeks for Atletico.
The Copa Libertadores champions were scheduled to face Chapecoense in the final of the Copa Sudamericana in November but a plane crash killed most of the Brazilian side as their flight approached Medellin and the game was cancelled.
Two weeks of mourning followed in Colombia and Brazil, upsetting their preparations for the Club World Cup.
The use of video assistance to review ‘match-changing’ decisions was allowed to be used during yesterday’s semifinal for the first time in a Fifa competition.
Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai was called to the side of the pitch after half an hour to watch an incident replayed on a computer. Kassai adjudged Berrio to have tripped Daigo as the players moved into the box to challenge for a free kick.
Although Daigo looked to be in an offside position, the penalty was awarded and Shoma made no mistake from the spot. — Sport24/Reuters