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PEEP! PEEP! REAL MADRID ARE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!
REAL MADRID 4 - 2 KASHIMA ANTLERS
Ronaldo played horribly for 120 minutes and scored a hattrick. As the kids would say, #justballondor things.
Amazing display of clinical finishing from the Portuguese superstar as Modric and Kroos proved the difference between the two. Kashima Antlers had their chances - a lot of them - and they out up an almighty fight!!!
Great stuff from both teams, and it was mighty fun covering it. Thanks for reading!
Anirudh Menon signing out.
Toodle-ooo!
One minute of added time. For what God knows.
120' The game has petered out and there is but one conclusion to this.
117' Soghata channels his inner Rene Higuita, comes out to cut off the long ball and dribble past Morata. Morata thankfully cannot access his inner Roger Milla
116' OW MORATA! The man teases, torments, and sends Yamomoto to heaven with three feints of equal viciousness. His shot beats the keeper, but Shoji is there on the line to save it.
113' Gen Shoji gets fed up with Kovacic as he goes on another meandering run and takes him down. Substitution as Akasaki comes on for golazo-scoring hero Shibasaki.
111' Benzema curls it into the net, but he's well offside. Substitution as Cristiano Ronaldo walks off to universal applause and is replaced by that matador Alvaro Morata
110' Yamamoto tries to make something happen down the left, but the ball is straight at Navas.
109' Nishi motors down the right and lifts a lovely litte ball that Nacho has to stretch to keep away from Suzuki. From the corner, the striker is caught offside.
107' Kashima have still NOT given up the ghost. They are chasing the ball like rabid demons, but Madrid are passing the ball around with ludicrous ease. Substitution as Ramos is protected from yet another red and is taken off for Nacho
106' Magnificent run from Kovacic to start things off again as he ghosts past three red shirts before almost playing in Ronaldo. Brave, quick-thinking, keeping Soghata prevents a fourth for the four-time Ballon d'Or winner.
PEEP! We're off again.
Kovacic on for Modric
PEEP! PEEP! FIRST HALF OF ET ENDS
That was a lethal display of clinical finishing from the Master.
105' Isco goes for a fifth but it's blocked by the still battling Ueda. Madrid are slipping back into second gear and comfort drive mode here.
And that's the hat trick. The ball bounced to him after Kroos' shot was blocked, and Ronaldo does NOT miss those from three yards out.
104' GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!! RONALDO! RONALDO! RONALDO!
102' Substitution for Kashima again as Ito replaces Endo. They are throwing everything they have at this. There are at least four guys on the pitch right now who can, at the very least, moonlight as a striker.
101' OH LORD! OH LORD!! THAT HIT THE BAR! Shibusaki swings in a superb, teaser, that finds Yuma Suzuki unmarked five yards from goal. HE CLATTERS A POWERFUL HEADER RIGHT OFF THE BAR! UFF!!
100' Casemiro gets a yellow for cynically stepping into the way of a flying Kanazaki. Kashima have a freekick in a dangerous position. Can they? Shibasaki stands over it.
99' Kashima are in no mood to lie down though, and swarm forward. It ends with a goal kick, but Madrid does not have this in the bag yet, make no mistake.
The ball is eased into the Portuguese' path by an excellent Kroos pass and the great man calmly slots it under the advancing Sogahata. He makes it look so simple.
97' GOAL!!! RONALDO! RONALDO! RONALDO!
96' The corner is gathered with great relief by Navas. Madrid go forward again.....
95' Isco weaves his way through Kashima, ball stuck to his feet, before laying it off to Modric. Even the enigmatic Croat cannot find an opening.... and from a loose Kroos (sorry) pass KASHIMA COUNTER! FABRICIO ADVANCES ON RAMOS AND HIS SHOT ON GOAL IS DEFLECTED AWAY FOR A CORNER!
94' Ryoto Nagaki has come onto his own as the game progressed, and the defensive screen of Kashima wins a freekick of Benzema to break up a spell of Madrid pressure that was beginning to threaten.
92' Mu Kanazaki knocks the ball around Ramos and tries to catch him out for pace, but the veteran shows that he can still turn on the afterburners when need be and easily outstrips the Japanese. A little later Fabricio hammers into his compatriot Casemiro and gets into the ref's naughty book for his troubles.
91' Madrid kick it off, but they are not being allowed to enter the Kashima third by a wall of red that stands in front of them.
PEEP! We're off a THIRD time!
That last two minutes of Kashima Antlers mastery was by far the best football we've seen from either side today. If they keep this up...
THIRTY MINUTES EXTRA TIME NOW!
93' KASHIMA are playing some sublime football. After nearly twenty passes of the intricate variety in an around the box, the Japanese release Endo at the edge of the box AND HE FLASHES IT HIGH AND WIDE FROM FOUR YARDS!!! OH MY LORDY LORD. That would have been some finish!
92' It's all Kashima NOW! They are encamped in the Madrid half now - Nishi plays a lovely little scoop to Endo that the winger almost gets to Yuma. UFF!
91' THREE MINUTES OF RAMOS TIME! Benzema kills off a move with a heavy touch. Zidane looks this close to headbutting someone.
90' Ramos clattered into Kanazaki and the ref has called for a video replay. If the ref deems that to be a yellow, he's off! Thankfully nothing.
89' OH WO! MU KANAZAKI ALMOST TURNS IT IN, BUT NAVAS DOES MAGNIFICENTLY TO SAVE! He got the ball after a pin point pass from Endo
88' The corner comes to nothing and in the meantime Yuma Suzuka came on for Shoma
87' OH MY WORD! FABRICIO UNLEASHES A HEATSEAKER FROM RANGE THAT NAVAS DOES WELL TO TIP AWAY!
86' OW OW OW! Shoma Doi wanders across the Madrid box and floats in a ball that just misses the leaping Fabricio. Real counter immediately and a smart pass from Modric has Ronaldo off on his scooter. ONCE AGAIN THE GREAT MAN FLUFFS HIS LINES!!! He's had a horror game.
84' Ronaldo finally gets his feet sorted out and wins a corner off Nishi with a swish of his hips. From the corner Benzema - under intense pressure from Shoji Yamamoto - heads it over from six yards!
83' Isco came on for Vazquez before the madness of the 81st minute by the bye. Mu Kanazaki shows superb strength to hold off Varane and spark a Kashima attack. Yamamoto's delivery from the left causes confusion in the box, but Ramos heads clear. Isco tries to create something down the right wing, but the move peters out harmlessly
81' THIS IS END TO END NOW. Nishi bombards down the right and almost floats one onto Kanazaki's feet. Lovely ball, but well defended by Varane. Madrid stream forward and Ronaldo careens a shot too close to the keeper!! He saves brilliantly! Nothing comes off the corner, but this is some game now.
80' On cue, the ball is pumped long to Marcelo, and Madrid stream forward again..... OOOO RONALDOOOO.. Vazquez teases and torments Yamamoto before whisking away from him and sticking one up into the box. Ronaldo rises highest but his header is a mite wide!
79' It is ALL Madrid right now, but Marcelo gives the ball away and the tireless Mu Kanazki does magnificently to turn Varane and win a freekick. You know what'll happen from that though...
77' He just ends up giving a throw into Madrid on the half way line. *sigh*
76' Vazquez has a pop that is blocked. The ball remains in the Kashima defensive third though - it's been about ten minutes since Kashima strung three passes together. Finally a breather, as Kashima win a freekick.
75' UFF! RONALDOLMOOOST! Kroos powered down the left and lifted it up where Cristiano rose like a salmon, but Shoji does superbly to match his jump and head it away. No wonder the Japanese senior team has high hopes for the lad
74' Ronaldo looks to have got his mojo back, and attempts to dummy the ball through to Marcelo, but the excellent Nishi has his number today. Madrid have the ball right back though
73' RONALDO HAS THE BALL IN THE NET! BUT HE'S OFFSIDE!! The whole play emanated from Karim Benzema's snapshot from 10 yards out that was saved utterly brilliantly by Sogahata, and that's when Ronaldo knocked in the rebound. Unfortunately for him, he was a country mile offside
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For those of an Indian persuasion, may i direct you towards the inimitable Soumalya Moitra and his live blog for the ISL FINAL