Egyptian Al-Ahly reaches semis at Club World Cup

TOYOTA, Japan - The Associated Press

Al-Ahly SC’s Mohamed Naguib (R) celebrates next to Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s captain Hosato Sato after the quarterfinal match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima at the FIFA Club World Cup 2012 at Toyota Stadium in Toyota. EPA photo

Substitute Mohamed Aboutrika scored in the second half yesterday as Egypt’s Al-Ahly beat Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-1 to advance to the semifinals of the Club World Cup.

Aboutrika took a pass from Ahmed Fathi and beat Hiroshima goalkeeper Takuya Masuda in the 57th minute to send the African champions to a semifinal clash against South American champion Corinthians on Wednesday.

Striker Elsayad Hamdi put the African champions ahead in the 15th minute, converting a pass from Fathi and beating Masuda, who came on in the eighth minute after Shusaku Nishikawa was injured in a collision.

Sanfrecce striker Hisato Sato, the J-League’s Player of the Year, tied the match in 32nd minute when he got behind Al-Ahly defenders and hit a right-footed shot that deflected in off goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy.

Monterrey goes through

Earlier, Mexican club Monterrey also progressed to the semis with a 3-1 win over South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai.

Monterrey will face European champion Chelsea in the semifinals on Thursday.

Teenage winger Jesus Corona put Monterrey ahead just nine minutes in when he took a pass from striker Aldo De Nigris and fired into a wide open net from close range.

Delgado converted a pass from De Nigris in the 77th minute to give the CONCACAF champions a 2-0 lead and made it 3-0 seven minutes later, dodging a defender and firing past Ulsan goalkeeper Kim Young-kwang from just inside the area.

“If we can play like we did today against Chelsea we will have a chance,” Monterrey coach Victor Vucetich said. “Last year we lost in the quarterfinals here because we didn’t have time to prepare. This year we had plenty of time to get ready for this match.”

Lee Keun-ho got a lucky consolation goal for the Asian champion in the 88th minute when his long-range shot was fumbled by goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco.