AGADIR: Hosts Raja Casablanca will play Ronaldinho’s South American champions Atletico Mineiro in Wednesday’s semi-final of the FIFA Club World Cup after beating Monterrey of Mexico 2-1 in extra time in Agadir.

Ivorian midfielder Kouko Guehi headed home a corner in the 95th minute to earn the Moroccans victory. CONCACAF champions Monterrey, competing for the third time in a row, did not find this occasion any more fortunate than their previous appearances.

Raja took a 24th-minute lead when Monterrey goalkeeper Jonathan Orozco dropped a right-wing cross at the feet of Chermseddine Chtibi. Monterrey equalised eight minutes into the second half when captain Jose Maria Basanta headed home a Humberto Suazo free kick.

The other quarter-final saw possibly the last competitive appearance of veteran Egyptian hero Mohamed Aboutrika after African champions Al Ahly went down 2-0 to Chinese debutants Guangzhou Evergrande. Aboutrika pulled a muscle in the first half and was substituted at half-time.

Guangzhou, under Italy’s 2006 World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi, face European and German champions Bayern Munich in Agadir on Tuesday.

Lippi said: “If we played Bayern 100 times, they would win 99 of those meetings but we might win the other one. That has always been my philosophy.”

The goals came in the second half from Brazilian forward Elkeson and Argentina playmaker Dario Conca.

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