Mauricio Arbilla
Sao Paulo, Brazil - Spain's Real Madrid and Brazil's Corinthians remain deadlocked going into Monday's final round of matches in World Club Championship Group A after a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Morumbi Stadium on Friday.
But Real coach Vicente del Bosque slammed the rules of this inaugural global club tournament which insist that Real must play their closing match with Morocco's Raja Casablanca before local favourites Corinthians duel with Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr, meaning the Brazilians will know exactly what they have to do to reach the final.
Not all the chips are stacked against Real, however, as they have a slender advantage, having scored one more goal than Corinthians and will be playing the African representatives who have already been eliminated and have relatively little incentive to win.
In contrast Al Nassr are not out of the final equation following their equally compelling 4-3 triumph over Casablanca, who become the first team eliminated from this tournament.
The only certain winners of the tournament so far are world governing body Fifa whose latest venture is proving a great spectacle with thrilling and highly competitive action on the pitch and a hatful of goals.
Del Bosque, who has the consolation of leading Corinthians by a single goal scored, railed: "I do not understand the motives why both matches (on Monday) can not be played at the same time."
The two star players in the Real-Corinthians epic were Real's French international striker Nicolas Anelka and the Sao Paulo outfit's Edilson who scored a brace apiece for their respective sides.
Anelka blotted his copybook by missing a penalty for the Meringues with just seven minutes remaining.
But the former Paris St Germain and Arsenal man is top of the goal scorers standings with three goals and is finally beginning to show why Real parted with $38-million to secure his services.
Edilson, voted player of the year after his club's Brazilian title-winning campaign, was brilliant.
After Anelka opened the scoring with a clever backheel from a Roberto Carlos freekick Edilson equalised with a fierce cross-shot.
After 63 minutes he did even better, embarking on a solo run, shimmying past French World Cup winning defender Christian Karembeu before scoring with a neat shot.
But Anelka squared the match before having the opportunity of winning it with just seven minutes remaining when Corinthians conceded a penalty after a foul on Real's Brazilian Savio.
However, Anelka's weak spotkick was saved by Brazil international goalkeeper Dida, who made a habit of stopping penalties during his country's successful Copa America campaign last season and is proving a worthy successor in the national team to 1994 World Cup legend Claudio Taffarel.
Del Bosque clearly believed the draw suited Corinthians better although Real wind up with a fixture against Casablanca, who are already eliminated.
Both coaches agreed it had been a magnificent match in front of 35 000 fans at the Morumbi Stadium.
Del Bosque said: "Both Real and Corinthians were worthy football representatives of their continents and produced a spectacular show which gave great dignity to the World Club Championships.
"Corinthians were very difficult opponents."
His opposite number Oswaldo de Oliveira was equally complimentary.
He said: "It was a thrilling game which demonstrated the high level of the football at this first ever World Club Championship.
"Both teams were going all out for the victory and, although we did not win, I think the public went home happy."
Corinthians will be eyeing what could be an all-Brazilian final with Rio de Janeiro outfit Vasco da Gama, who are presently in control of pool B although Real might also fancy another crack at Vasco, whom they beat to win the 1998 Intercontinental Cup Final, the tournament that hitherto has been considered the World Club Championship.
But Al Nassr will be eager to prove that this is truly a global event and they have a chance to reach the final although that would need them to beat Corinthians and rely on eliminated Casablanca to hold Real to a draw.
A long shot that might be but there is no doubting the Saudi side's character after the 4-3 win over the Moroccans, secured by a late strike from Algerian international Moussa Saib, who formerly played for English Premiership outfit Tottenham Hotspur.
It only took three minutes for the Saudis to open the scoring and the goal came from Fuad Al-Amin
Amin let fly from the right flank and Casablanca keeper Mustapha Chadili will be disappointed that he failed to stop a shot that crept in at his near post.
But 21 minutes later the African representatives equalised with an own goal from Al Nassr's Fahad Al Husseini.
Al Husseini turned a shot by Omar Nejjary past his own goalkeeper Mohammed Babkr Khojalli.
After the interval, however, it was Al Nassr who made their superior possession count by taking a two-goal lead with a brace of goals in the first five minutes of the second period.
First forward Ahmed Bahja, signed specifically for this tournament, made it 2-1 with a deft finish before Al Husseini made amends for his earlier clanger by converting an easy chance to give the Saudis a two-goal cushion.
But Casablanca showed commendable spirit to haul themselves back into the match.
Substitute Bouchaib El Moubarki, who had just come on, reduced arrears after 67 minutes and then just four minutes later Talal El Karkouri squared the match after a surging run from the centre circle.
However, Al Nassr goalkeeper Madhi Al Dosari, who had replaced Babkr Khojalli, must take some of the blame for the goal.
Four minutes later the Moroccans were reduced to 10 men when Youssef Safri was sent off.
But there was one further twist to this remarkable game when Saib, who has also played in Spain for Valencia and in France with Auxerre, stooped to head the winner from a corner with five minutes remaining.
The one disappointing detail of this game was an attendance of 300 after 35 000 had watched the earlier match featuring local heroes Corinthians. - Sapa-AFP