Curtain fell on Japan 2015 as Barcelona reached a landmark; an unprecedented third world club crown. Sanfreece Hiroshima didn't host for the fun of it as they got the bronze medal.
A brace from Luis Suarez (fifth overall) and a Lionel Messi strike saw Barcelona claim their third FIFA Club World Cup crown with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over River Plate in Yokohama.
There was no doubt that the champions of Europe deserved to win the match and consequently the tournament with an immaculate all-round display. And while the forward line of MSN, Messi, Suarez and Neymar, will rightfully get the plaudits, Claudio Bravo and Gerard Pique, in particular, did their jobs well to keep the clean sheet.
Alarm bells began to ring for River as early as the 12th minute. Andres Iniesta played a great ball to Messi inside the box. He produced a great shot on the turn which forced an equally good stop from Marcelo Barovero who saved low to his left. The keeper was called into action midway through the half when he claimed Dani Alves’ shot comfortably.
The longer the half remained goalless, the more River’s confidence grew and half chances came. Rodrigo Mora fired a shot from 30 yards which was straight at Claudio Bravo and then Lucas Alario’s shot from the edge of the ‘D’ saw the Barça stopper claim it easily to his right.
Missing from the semi-final with abdominal
pain, Messi began to have more of an impact of the game. His well-struck
free-kick from 35 yards, was expertly turned away for a corner.
However, Barovero was powerless to stop the opening goal nine minutes
before half-time.
Dani Alves swung in a cross from the right which Neymar headed into the path of Messi. He turned Jonatan Maidana the wrong way before poking the ball home. However, the goal did not silence the River Plate fans who gave tremendous backing to their team throughout the match.
Suarez almost made it 2-0 on the stroke of half time after Messi played a perfect pass through to the Uruguayan. He ran on to it well to split the defence, but when faced with the onrushing Barovero, he fired wide.
However, the forward made amends four minutes after the break when this time he made no mistake after being presented with a one-on-one opportunity. Great credit must go to Sergio Busquets who won possession before playing a perfect ball for the former Liverpool man.
A brace from Luis Suarez (fifth overall) and a Lionel Messi strike saw Barcelona claim their third FIFA Club World Cup crown with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over River Plate in Yokohama.
There was no doubt that the champions of Europe deserved to win the match and consequently the tournament with an immaculate all-round display. And while the forward line of MSN, Messi, Suarez and Neymar, will rightfully get the plaudits, Claudio Bravo and Gerard Pique, in particular, did their jobs well to keep the clean sheet.
Alarm bells began to ring for River as early as the 12th minute. Andres Iniesta played a great ball to Messi inside the box. He produced a great shot on the turn which forced an equally good stop from Marcelo Barovero who saved low to his left. The keeper was called into action midway through the half when he claimed Dani Alves’ shot comfortably.
The longer the half remained goalless, the more River’s confidence grew and half chances came. Rodrigo Mora fired a shot from 30 yards which was straight at Claudio Bravo and then Lucas Alario’s shot from the edge of the ‘D’ saw the Barça stopper claim it easily to his right.
Missing from the semi-final with abdominal
pain, Messi began to have more of an impact of the game. His well-struck
free-kick from 35 yards, was expertly turned away for a corner.
However, Barovero was powerless to stop the opening goal nine minutes
before half-time. Dani Alves swung in a cross from the right which Neymar headed into the path of Messi. He turned Jonatan Maidana the wrong way before poking the ball home. However, the goal did not silence the River Plate fans who gave tremendous backing to their team throughout the match.
Suarez almost made it 2-0 on the stroke of half time after Messi played a perfect pass through to the Uruguayan. He ran on to it well to split the defence, but when faced with the onrushing Barovero, he fired wide.
However, the forward made amends four minutes after the break when this time he made no mistake after being presented with a one-on-one opportunity. Great credit must go to Sergio Busquets who won possession before playing a perfect ball for the former Liverpool man.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
claimed third place at the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2015 after coming
from behind in the all-Asian clash with Guangzhou Evergrande in
Yokohama.
A brace from Douglas in the 70th and 83rd minutes changed the complexion of the game as Hajime Moriyasu’s substitutes combined to great effect to turn the game around.
It was the AFC champions who took the lead with the game’s first chance. Li Xuepeng’s cross from the right was headed towards goal by Elkeson, with Takuyo Hayashi parrying the shot away. The ball went straight into the path of Lin Gao whose shot fell to Paulinho. The former Tottenham Hotspur man was left with the simplest of chances to head home.
A good piece of individual skill from Mihael Mikic almost drew his side level. The Croatian cut inside from the right before unleashing a left-footed drive which curled away from Li Shuai and just over the bar. Three minutes later Mikic crossed for Hisato Sato whose diving header forced a good save from Li in the Guangzhou goal.
Guangzhou went close to
doubling their advantage when Elkeson’s shot took a deflection off
Hiromi Mizumoto and went out for a corner. Sanfrecce then went close
twice within the space of a minute with Kohei Shimizu supplying Sato on
both occasions. First, a diving header brought a great save from Li –
and then his second went agonisingly wide. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side hit the woodwork when Li Xuepeng’s shot took a deflection and rebounded off the base of the post.
Sanfrecce had a golden opportunity to equalise just before half-time when Takuya Marutani’s goalbound effort was cleared off the line by Mei Fang who was in the right place at the right time.
The second half began with half chances for Goulart and Sato for their respective sides, but the game only burst back into live with 20 minutes to go.
With the game seemingly drifting to its conclusion, a lapse in concentration cost Guangzhou dearly. Mizumoto missed Yusuke Chajima’s corner from the left at the near post which allowed Douglas to sneak in unnoticed and equalise.
After the goal, it was all Sanfrecce. Chajima went agonisingly close to giving the J.League champions the lead after some great work by Yoshifumi Kashiwa. He showed superb balance to keep the ball in play and put a delivery into the box. It was met by Chajima who hit a cross-come-shot into the turf which spun just beyond the upright.
With eight minutes to go, Sanfrecce got the match-winner. Kashiwa’s cross from the right was headed against the bar by Asano and Douglas was on hand to nod home the rebound from close range.
Takuma Asano could have put the game beyond doubt as the Japanese side broke quickly, but missed the target. However, the miss was uncostly as the final whistle blew soon afterwards to put the side from the host country on the podium.
A brace from Douglas in the 70th and 83rd minutes changed the complexion of the game as Hajime Moriyasu’s substitutes combined to great effect to turn the game around.
It was the AFC champions who took the lead with the game’s first chance. Li Xuepeng’s cross from the right was headed towards goal by Elkeson, with Takuyo Hayashi parrying the shot away. The ball went straight into the path of Lin Gao whose shot fell to Paulinho. The former Tottenham Hotspur man was left with the simplest of chances to head home.
A good piece of individual skill from Mihael Mikic almost drew his side level. The Croatian cut inside from the right before unleashing a left-footed drive which curled away from Li Shuai and just over the bar. Three minutes later Mikic crossed for Hisato Sato whose diving header forced a good save from Li in the Guangzhou goal.
Guangzhou went close to
doubling their advantage when Elkeson’s shot took a deflection off
Hiromi Mizumoto and went out for a corner. Sanfrecce then went close
twice within the space of a minute with Kohei Shimizu supplying Sato on
both occasions. First, a diving header brought a great save from Li –
and then his second went agonisingly wide. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side hit the woodwork when Li Xuepeng’s shot took a deflection and rebounded off the base of the post. Sanfrecce had a golden opportunity to equalise just before half-time when Takuya Marutani’s goalbound effort was cleared off the line by Mei Fang who was in the right place at the right time.
The second half began with half chances for Goulart and Sato for their respective sides, but the game only burst back into live with 20 minutes to go.
With the game seemingly drifting to its conclusion, a lapse in concentration cost Guangzhou dearly. Mizumoto missed Yusuke Chajima’s corner from the left at the near post which allowed Douglas to sneak in unnoticed and equalise.
After the goal, it was all Sanfrecce. Chajima went agonisingly close to giving the J.League champions the lead after some great work by Yoshifumi Kashiwa. He showed superb balance to keep the ball in play and put a delivery into the box. It was met by Chajima who hit a cross-come-shot into the turf which spun just beyond the upright.
With eight minutes to go, Sanfrecce got the match-winner. Kashiwa’s cross from the right was headed against the bar by Asano and Douglas was on hand to nod home the rebound from close range.
Takuma Asano could have put the game beyond doubt as the Japanese side broke quickly, but missed the target. However, the miss was uncostly as the final whistle blew soon afterwards to put the side from the host country on the podium.
0 comments: