Cruz Azul vs. Real Madrid: Winners and Losers from Club World Cup Game
Real Madrid are into the final of the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup after beating Cruz Azul, 4-0, in Marrakesh on Tuesday.
Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Isco scored the goals for the Champions League winners, who will now face either Auckland City or San Lorenzo in Saturday's final.
Cruz Azul, meanwhile, will drop into the third-place match.
Following are some of the winners and losers from this semi-final.
Winner: Dani Carvajal, Who Assisted on Madrid's Second Goal
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Dani Carvajal didn't exactly have a difficult night on the defensive side of the ball.
With the dangerous Joao Rojas playing down the opposite flank for Cruz Azul, the Real Madrid right-back only had to worry about the ineffective Christian Gimenez.
But the 22-year-old's most important contribution of Tuesday's match came in the 36th minute. He skipped past three opponents before crossing to teammate Karim Benzema, who needed just a single touch to beat goalkeeper Jose Corona.
"Brilliant play by Carvajal down the right," AS.com journalist Nicholas Rigg tweeted following the score.
Loser: Mariano Pavone, Who Missed Several Chances to Score
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It's not as though Cruz Azul didn't have chances to find the back of the net in Marrakesh.
Iker Casillas saved a Gerardo Torrado penalty late in the first half, and Pablo Barrera, who came on shortly as a substitute, hit the outside of the far post.
Mariano Pavone had two or three meaningful chances himself, but on no occasion could he muster either the guts or finishing ability to put the ball in the back of the net.
In the 42nd minute, he found himself alone with Casillas, only to clip the ball right into the Real Madrid goalkeeper's frame.
"Pavone unable to take advantage when going one-on-one," tweeted Football Espana.
Winner: Isco, Who Delivered a Standout Performance
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Before getting his own name on the scoresheet, Isco did exceptionally well to control a high ball with his outstretched left foot before passing to Karim Benzema, who in turn picked out Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal captain then crossed to Gareth Bale, who headed the ball into the back of the net in the 50th minute.
The goal put Real Madrid 3-0 up and all but assured the Primera Division leaders a place in Saturday's final.
But Isco provided some extra insurance in the 72nd minute when, after accepting Ronaldo's reverse, he went on a swerving run through the goalmouth before beating Cruz Azul goalkeeper Jose Corona.
"Ronaldo teed up Isco but he had a lot to do—a lot of players to beat—before scoring," wrote Football Espana's on Twitter.
Winner: Sergio Ramos, Who Opened the Scoring
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Sergio Ramos opened the scoring with a 15th-minute header at the far post following Toni Kroos' well-placed corner.
But the Spain international's contribution didn't end there.
Crucially, he put his body in the way of a Joao Rojas shot midway through the first half. Just a few seconds later, he outmuscled the Cruz Azul attacker in the Real Madrid goalmouth.
Unfortunately for the Spanish outfit, Ramos appeared uncomfortable when he was substituted in the 64th minute.
As ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan tweeted, "Ramos actually looks to be complaining about thigh problem now while sitting on bench."
Loser: Marco Fabian, Who Made His Final Appearance for Cruz Azul
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Marco Fabian joined Cruz Azul on loan from Chivas Guadalajara in early 2014 and proceeded to help the Mexican outfit to the CONCACAF Champions League title.
The FIFA Club World Cup represented his final competition with the club before returning to Chivas, and after starting the quarter-final against Western Sydney Wanderers, he began Tuesday's match on the bench.
It wasn't until the 65th minute that he was finally brought on, and by then, Cruz Azul were already 3-0 down.
In the 25 minutes he played, the 2012 Olympic champion managed to do next to nothing for La Maquina, who bowed meekly out of the competition.
Winner: Real Madrid's Winning Run, Which Keeps Getting Longer and Longer
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Real Madrid set a new record for a Spanish club when they won their 19th match in a row last week against Ludogorets.
And on Friday, they extended the mark to 20 games after besting Almeria.
Tuesday's 4-0 dismantling of Cruz Azul was their 21st victory on the trot in all competitions, and based on their current form, they'll take some beating to finally derail.
During their unprecedented stretch, they've scored 79 goals and conceded just 10, as 101 Great Goals tweeted.
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