CONCACAF Champions League winners Monterrey sealed a fifth-place finish at the FIFA Club World Cup after cruising to a deserved 3-1 win over Emirati outfit Al Jazira. 

Backed by a vocal group of travelling fans, the Mexican outfit took just three minutes to take the lead, when a weak shot deflected against Al Jazira defender Zayed Sultan and spun across the goalline by a matter of inches. 

The Liga MX side looked determined to atone for their wasteful loss to Al Ahly last week, and doubled their advantage soon afterwards, when impressive striker Rogelio Funes Mori rounded the goalkeeper and tapped into an open net after 11 minutes.

Monterrey were utterly dominant throughout the opening period and racked up a third goal with 25 minutes gone, when captain Cesar Montes headed home from Arturo Gonzalez's free-kick.

With the contest effectively wrapped up by the break, the Mexican side made a number of changes early on in the second half, before drawing three strong saves from Al Jazira shot-stopper and captain Ali Khaseif without adding a fourth goal.

Although Monterrey certainly warranted their victory, racking up 18 attempts at goal to their opponents' six, the Emirati champions did claim a late consolation goal, when Brazilian winger Bruno De Oliveira raced onto a low cross to tap home in stoppage time.

Al Hilal thumped hosts Al Jazira 6-1 on Sunday to book their place in the Club World Cup semi-finals against Chelsea.

2020-21 UAE Pro League champions Al Jazira opened the scoring through Abdoulay Diaby after 14 minutes, but goals from former Premier League forwards Odion Ighalo and Matheus Pereira put Al Hilal into the lead before the break.

That narrow lead was extended into an emphatic scoreline in the second half, as Mohamed Kanno, Salem Al-Dawsari, Moussa Marega and Andre Carrillo all found the back of the net.

Asian champions Al Hilal will face European counterparts Chelsea in the last four on February 9, while Al Jazira play Monterrey earlier that same day in the fifth-place play-off.

Al Jazira got the Club World Cup under way with a 4-1 win over Tahitian side Pirae in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

Hosts Al Jazira, who qualified by virtue of winning the UAE Pro League in 2020-21, were unsurprisingly a cut above their opponents, racing into a 3-0 lead by half-time.

Pirae – nominated for participation by OFC – did get on the scoresheet early in the second half thanks to an own goal, but Al Jazira finished them off just past the hour through the well-travelled Abdoulay Diaby.

Al Jazira will face Saudi Arabia's Asian champions Al Hilal in the second round, and the winner of that contest shall play European champions Chelsea in the second semi-final on February 9.

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