The AFC Champions League winners were picked apart with ease in their FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 third-place playoff – with River netting three goals in the last 17 minutes to put the exclamation point on their victory.

Kashima struggled to deal with River’s quickfire counter-attacking approach in Abu Dhabi and Oiwa was left frustrated by his side’s shaky defending in the second half.

In 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo was Madrid’s match-winner in the final, days after winning the Ballon d’Or; fast forward 12 months and Real once again turned to the year’s newly crowned world’s best - midfield magician Modric - to set them on the way to victory. 

Al Ain may have suffered the same fate as fellow Emirati outfit Al Jazira - who lost to Madrid in last year’s semi-final - but Zoran Mamic’s side managed to go a step further at the tournament, making history by becoming the first team from the UAE to finish as runners-up at the FIFA Club World Cup.

The 4-0 scoreline was perhaps a little flattering to the Argentines but there was no question River were more ruthless in front of goal than their opponents, notably in the latter stages of the game. 

While Marcelo Gallardo’s side started strongly it was Kashima who were closest to opening the scoring in the early stages when defender Jung Seng-hyun seemingly poked the ball home from a corner. However, a VAR referral saw his effort ruled out for offside.

For the second time in two years, Kashima were beaten in the competition by Real, though Wednesday’s clash in Abu Dhabi saw a more comfortable victory for Los Blancos than the 2016 final in Hiroshima.

Despite facing a star-studded Madrid line-up, Oiwa had insisted before the game that he would set his team up to attack.

But after a promising start, Kashima faded and were ultimately overpowered by the European champions, who were inspired by a Gareth Bale hat-trick at the Zayed Sports City Stadium.