Japan’s Reysol reach Club World Cup semis

Reuters , Sunday 11 Dec 2011

Shootout win sets up tie against Brazilian club Santos

Kashiwa Reysol V Monterrey

Japanese champions Kashiwa Reysol upset Mexico’s Monterrey 4-3 in a penalty shootout on Sunday to set up a Club World Cup semi-final against Brazil’s Santos.

Locked at 1-1 after extra time, Ryohei Hayashi smashed home the deciding spot kick in Toyota to send Reysol through to face the South American Libertadores Cup holders on Wednesday.

Brazilian striker Leandro Domingues gave Reysol the lead after 53 minutes, the J-League player of the year drilling a superb right-foot volley into the top corner.

It took Monterrey only five minutes to equalise, however, Chile striker Humberto Suazo ghosting into space at the far post to ram home a cross from Cesar Delgado.

Suazo had earlier rattled the post with a left-foot drive and was a constant menace but Reysol hung on to become the third J-League club to reach the Club World Cup semi-finals.

Qatar’s Al Sadd beat Esperance of Tunisia 2-1 in the day’s first quarter-final and will face tournament favourites Barcelona in Yokohama on 15 December.

The final takes place in Yokohama on 18 December.

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