By Fernando Kallas
RABAT (Reuters) – Real Madrid won the Club World Cup for a record extending fifth time after beating Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal 5-3 in the final on Saturday, with doubles from Federico Valverde and Vinicius Jr and a goal by Karim Benzema.
European champions Real opened the scoring in the 13th minute through Vinicius and Valverde extended their lead five minutes later but Al Hilal hit back with a goal from Moussa Marega on the counter-attack.
Benzema and Valverde added to Real’s lead with close-range strikes in the 54th and 58th minutes respectively but Luciano Vietto reduced the deficit for Al Hilal from another counter five minutes later.
Vinicius added another for Real in the 69th but Vietto scored his second of the night 10 minutes later to round off a high-scoring encounter that delighted the Moroccan fans.
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Toby Davis)
