Kashiwa Reysol 1-1 Monterrey (4-3 pens): J-League champions reach semifinals after penalty shootout victory

Kashiwa Reysol has reached the semifinals of the Club World Cup, knocking out Monterrey of Mexico 4-3 on penalties after the match finished 1-1 at the end of extra-time.

Ryohei Hayashi converted the decisive fifth penalty  to win the penalty shootout 4-3, after Monterrey's goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco had missed his team's second spot kick, hitting the upright.

Sergio Perez's miss from the first penalty of the shootout proved to be costly for the Mexicans who had come from behind to level the match 1-1 in regulation time in an otherwise evenly-matched contest.

Monterrey started the brightest, with Humberto Suazo passing on an opportunity in the opening five minutes when he hesitated to shoot after taking the ball past Takanori Sugeno.

The combination of Cesar Delgado and Suazo routinely threatened the Reysol defense, and the latter would hit the foot of the upright from close range in the first half.

A goalless first half preceded a second period of play where two strikes in quick sucession brought the tie to a stalemate yet again.

Leandro Domingues' acrobatic volley from Tanaka's cross handed Reysol the lead on 52 minutes. But just five minutes later, Suazo struck from another Delgado cross to level the tie.

Masato Kudo twice tested Orozco with looping headers which had the keeper at full stretch to tip over the crossbar.

A uneventful period of extra time then followed but also failed to separate the two sides before Reysol grabbed passage to the semi-finals in the penalty shootout in dramatic fashion.

Reysol will face Santos in the next round as it look to continue its dream run to the final.

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