Qatar: Robert Lewandowski scored a brace to see Bayern Munich cruise through to the FIFA Club World Cup final beating Al Ahly 2-0 in Doha on Tuesday (February 9).
The 2013 winners, who are competing in the tournament for the second time in their history, asserted their dominance from the very beginning, which culminated in Lewandowski’s close-range strike giving the German treble winners a 1-0 lead on 17 minutes.
The well-knit defensive organisation and hard work of Al Ahly prevented them from making another breakthrough for most of the game later on, although Lewandowski’s one-on-one miss 20 minutes after his first goal and Thomas Muller’s header from a corner created enough danger, and came close to doing so.
The Polish international made it 29 goals in 27 club games this season with an 85th-minute strike from a far-post header to convert substitute Leroy Sane’s phenomenal cross from near the byline. Al Ahly had their best chance of the game in the first half itself when Taher Mohamed’s diving header went straight into Manuel Neuer’s hands.
Ahly’s goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy’s heroics kept them in the game but they were ultimately out of their depth and their reluctance to commit players forward hindered their ability to create chances.
They will go up against Copa Libertadores winners Palmeiras this Thursday (February 11) for the third-place playoff, while Bayern will face CONCACAF Champions League victors Tigres in the final.
