Result: Palmeiras 0-1 Tigres UANL
Date: 07 February 2021
Venue: Education City Stadium
Mexican side U.A.N.L Tigres booked their spot in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time after edging Brazilian outfit Palmeiras 1-0 on Sunday evening.
Palmeiras got a bye straight into the semi-finals after winning the Copa Libertadores while CONCACAF champions Tigres beat Ulsan Hyundai 2-1 in the second round.
Andre-Pierre Gignac almost gave Tigres an early lead in the fourth minute after glancing header from close range that was brilliantly saved by shot-stopper Weverton.
The Mexican side were getting the better chances and Gignac came close again ten minutes from the break after creating space inside the box and unleashed a threatening strike that was kept out by Weverton.
The rivalry between Gignac and Weverton continued as the former forced the latter into a reflext save eight minutes before the break with a header towards the bottom corner and the sides went to the break goalless.
Tigres continued to put the Brazilian side under pressure coming from the break and they were awarded a penalty nine minutes inside the second stanza after Luan Garcia brought down Carlos Gonzalez inside the box.
Gignac finally beat Weverton from the spot, giving Tigres the lead with a strike that the Palmeiras goalkeeper got a hand to but could not stop it from finding the back of the net, 0-1.
Palmeiras, who had a goal disallowed for offside just before the hour-mark were putting Tigres under pressure in the closing phase but the Mexican side were resilient at the back, as they thwarted their efforts to hold on to a narrow win and booked a spot in the final for the first time and will wait for the winner between Al Ahly and Bayern Munich in the other semi-final on Monday evening.
