ABU DHABI (AFP) - Copa Libertadores winners Estudiantes de La Plata beat South Korean side Pohang Steelers FC 2-1 to book their place in the final of the Club World Cup here on Tuesday.
The Argentina side completely outplayed the Steelers, who were reduced to eight men with less than quarter of an hour remaining at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium.
Benitez opened the scoring with a free kick at the stroke of halftime. The striker then added a second goal eight minutes into the second half to make it 2-0 for the South Americans.
Steelers' Brazilian striker Denilson cut the lead in the 71st minute, but they could apply any further pressure after Jae Sung received his second yellow card in the 72nd minute, followed by a red card for Hwa Yong in the 77th.
Steelers had already lost the services of skipper Jae Won in the 56th minute after being booked for the second time.
Estudiantes now face the winners of Wednesday's other semi-final between Barcelona and Atlante in Saturday's final.
0 - 1 |
45'+2 L. Benítez
|
|
0 - 2 |
53' L. Benítez
|
|
|
Denilson 71'
|
1 - 2 |
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hwa-Yong Shin |
 77'
|
| 2 | Hyo-Jin Choi | |
| 17 | Hyung-Il Kim |
 90+3'
|
| 15 | Jae-Won Hwang |
12'
 56'
|
| 5 |
Tae-Su Kim
|
5'
|
| 7 | Jae-Sung Kim |
20'
72'
|
| 20 | Hyung-Min Shin | |
| 16 | Jung-Kyum Kim |
45+2'
|
| 10 | Denilson |
 71'
|
| 18 |
Do Namkung
|
|
| 22 |
Byung-Jun No
|
|
| Coach: Sérgio Farias | ||
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | D. Albil | |
| 2 |
L. Desábato
|
|
| 16 | G. Ré | |
| 30 | C. Rodríguez | |
| 13 | J. Díaz | |
| 11 | J. Verón |
22'
|
| 22 | R. Braña | |
| 23 |
L. Benítez
|
45+2'
53'
|
| 8 | E. Pérez | |
| 18 | M. Núñez | |
| 17 | M. Boselli | |
| Coach: A. Sabella | ||
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 11 |
for Do Namkung 46' |
86'
|
| 12 |
for Byung-Jun No 54' |
|
| 4 |
for Tae-Su Kim 58' |
|
| 6 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 13 | ||
| 14 | ||
| 21 | ||
| 23 | ||
| 19 |
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 3 |
for L. Desábato 68' |
|
| 7 |
for L. Benítez 83' |
|
| 1 | ||
| 5 | ||
| 6 | ||
| 12 | ||
| 19 | ||
| 20 | ||
| 21 | ||
| 26 | ||
| 10 |
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