European Champions Manchester United are through to the final of the Fifa World Club Cup after defeating Asian Champions Gamba Osaka.The game displayed good football with the first 80 minutes of it being a one-sided affair.

The Reds had the better of the ball, with Golden Boy Cristiano Ronaldo capturing the attention of the crowd with a delightful pacy performance.

The winger came close to break the deadlock with after only five minutes gone down the clock. Ronaldo also tested Osaka’s keeper Yosuke Fujigawa with a weak free-kick that was eventually saved.

Manchester United’s first goal came on 28 minutes through Nemanja Vidic. The defender headed in his second goal in three matches for the Reds, finishing Giggs’ cross out of a corner.
Ronaldo doubled the lead at the last serious kick of the first half in the same manner.
Ryan Giggs again kicked the ball out of a corner which was headed low into the net by prolific goal scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.

Masato Yamazati pulled one back for Osaka on 74 minutes, thinking he had raised his side’s hopes for a come back. But substitute Wayne Rooney saved Manchester United from any fears as he widened the gap a minute later with an easy one on one goal.

Fletcher flashed in Manchester United’s third header and fourth goal of the game after Nani and Evra exchanged few passes.

Rooney clinched his double of the night on 80 minutes, leaving Gamba Osaka with realistically no chance of coming back into the game.

But the samurais defeated humility by controlling the last ten minutes.
Gary Neville was harshly penalized for handballing the ball inside the box; Yasuhito Endo converted the spot kick in total confidence to reduce Osaka’s deficit.

Hideo Hashimoto added a third for his side at the 90th minute to let the score line be 5-3.

At least, the Asian Champions had something to give for their continent: Pride and resilience.

Manchester United’s reward for surviving an eight-goal thriller is a place in the final against LDU Quito of South America on Sunday.

Written by: Angela Asante