Club America’s Rubens Sambueza (left) and Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid during their FIFA Club World Cup semifinal on December 15, 2016, in Yokohama, Japan. (Photo: FIFA via Getty Images)
AL AIN, United Arab Emirates – When the opening whistle launches the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup semifinal between Pachuca and Gremio on Tuesday at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, it will mark the eighth time the CONCACAF champion has contested a final-four match in the competition.
The Tuzos are presented with an opportunity to make history by becoming the first CONCACAF representative to reach the final.
CONCACAF.com summarizes the previous semifinal encounters:
CONCACAF & FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP SEMIFINALS
2005
15.12.05: International Stadium Yokohama – Yokohama, Japan (Att: 43,902)
Saprissa 0, Liverpool 3
Peter Crouch 2’, 58’; Steven Gerrard 32'
2006
14.12.06: International Stadium Yokohama – Yokohama, Japan (Att: 62,316)
Club America 0, Barcelona 4
Eidur Gudjohnsen 11'; Rafael Marquez 30'; Ronaldinho 65'; Deco 85'
2008
17.12.08: National Stadium/Olympic Stadium – Tokyo, Japan (Att: 33,366)
Pachuca 0, LDU de Quito 2
Claudio Bieler 4'; Luis Bolaños 26'
2009
16.12.09: Zayed Sports City – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Att: 40,955)
Atlante 1, Barcelona 3
Guillermo Rojas 5' / Sergio Busquets 35'; Lionel Messi 55'; Pedro 67’
2012
13.12.12: International Stadium Yokohama – Yokohama, Japan (Att: 36,648)
Monterrey 1, Chelsea 3
Aldo De Nigris 90’+1 / Juan Mata 17'; Fernando Torres 46', own-goal (Darvin Chavez) 48'
2014
16.12.14: Le Grand Stade de Marrakech – Marrakech, Morocco (Att: 34,862)
Cruz Azul 0, Real Madrid 4
Sergio Ramos 15’; Karim Benzema 36’; Gareth Bale 50’; Isco 72’
2016
15.12.16: International Stadium Yokohama – Yokohama, Japan (Att: 50,117)
Cruz Azul 0, Real Madrid 2
Karim Benzema 45’+2; Cristiano Ronaldo 90’+3
