Flamengo fight back against Al Hilal to reach Club World Cup final

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Flamengo's Pablo Mari (R) celebrates after the match REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari

DOHA (Reuters) - Brazilian champions Flamengo came from behind to beat Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal 3-1 on Tuesday and book their place in the final of the Club World Cup.

The Copa Libertadores winners, who struggled in the opening stages before rallying after the break, will face either European champions Liverpool or Mexico's Monterrey in Saturday's final.

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Flamengo's Giorgian de Arrascaeta celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari

"I don’t get to choose the opponent, I don’t care, both teams have the quality to get to the final," said Flamengo's Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus.

"Whoever wins that semi-final, Saturday is going to be one of the most important matches of my career," he added.

Asian Champions League winners Al Hilal, who finished with 10 men, were bright and inventive from the outset and should have gone in front in the 16th minute but Bafetimbi Gomis put the ball over the bar from a promising position.

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Flamengo's Gabriel Barbosa is fouled by Al Hilal's Ali Albulayhi REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Two minutes later, the Saudi side broke through when, after a smart pull-back, a low shot from Salem Al Dawsari took a deflection off Flamengo defender Pablo Mari and flew into the roof of the net.

Al Hilal, coached by Romanian Razvan Lucescu, looked full of confidence and with former Juventus forward Sebastian Giovinco creating space with his buzzing movement, Flamengo were rocking at the back.

Yet a switch in formation from their Portuguese coach Jesus at the break paid instant dividends and they got back on level terms four minutes after the interval when Uruguayan Giorgian De Arrascaeta tapped in after a clever cut-back from the impressive Bruno Henrique.

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Al Hilal's Salem Al Dawsari celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari

Bruno Henrique then put the Brazilians ahead, meeting a fine Rafinha cross with a thundering header at the near post.

It was Bruno Henrique who created the third goal, putting the outcome beyond doubt, as his low cross was turned into his own net by Ali Albulayhi.

Al Hilal's Peruvian midfielder Andre Carrillo was sent off in the 84th minute after an awful, over the top, challenge on De Arrascaeta.

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Al Hilal fans REUTERS/Corinna Kern

"I talked to our players and gave them instructions at halftime," said Jesus. "As a coach you have to be always alert and I saw the way they were playing. We played well in the second half."

Lucescu felt his side paid the price for not making the most of their early pressure after catching the Brazilians cold.

"I don’t know if we surprised them but we controlled the game, and played very well. We created opportunities, then they started to understand it will be a very hard game. I think the key of the game was that period when we didn’t get another goal," he said.

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Al Hilal's Andre Carrillo is shown a red card by referee Ismail Elfath REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

"I am disappointed with result but proud of a fantastic performance in the first half," he said.

Liverpool and Monterrey face each other at the same venue on Wednesday in the other semi-final.

Earlier, Tunisia's Esperance beat Qatari side Al Sadd 6-2 to claim fifth place with Libyan forward Hamdou Elhounis grabbing a hat-trick.

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Fans during the match REUTERS/Corinna Kern

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Flamengo's Diego and Willian Arao celebrate their second goal REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

(Reporting by Simon Evans; Editing by Toby Davis)

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Flamengo players celebrate after the match REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Flamengo's Bruno Henrique celebrates after Al Hilal's Ali Albulayhi scores an own goal and the third for Flamengo REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Al Hilal's Andre Carrillo is shown a red card by referee Ismail Elfath REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Al Hilal's Omar Kharbin shoots at goal from a free kick REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - December 17, 2019 Flamengo players celebrate after the match REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - December 17, 2019 - Flamengo fans watch the match REUTERS/Pilar Olivares

Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Semi Final - Flamengo v Al Hilal - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - December 17, 2019 - Flamengo fans watch the match REUTERS/Pilar Olivares