Kaka led Italy's AC Milan to a 4-2 victory over Argentina's Boca Juniors in the Club World Club final yesterday.
The Brazilian set up two goals for Filippo Inzaghi and scored a wonderful solo effort to give the European champions a record fourth club world title.
"I'm really satisfied," Kaka said. "This was the only trophy I wanted that was missing and I can't put my feelings into words. I've managed to win all the trophies that I thought would be difficult to win."
PHOTO: AP
Milan avenged their penalty shootout defeat to Boca in the 2003 Toyota Cup, the forerunner to the Club World Cup.
Milan played the last 13 minutes with 10 men after Georgia defender Kakha Kaladze was sent off for a harsh tackle on Leandro Gracian.
Kaka cut in from the left and teased Jonatan Maidana before slipping the ball under goalkeeper Mauricio Caranta to put Milan 3-1 ahead in the 61st.
The Brazilian had caused similar panic in the 21st by running at the Boca defense before crossing for Inzaghi to sidefoot into an empty net for the opener.
Rodrigo Palacio equalized a minute later with a header at the near post from a cross by Claudio Morel Rodriguez.
Defender Alessandro Nesta scored a rare goal in the 50th to put Milan 2-1 ahead after Boca failed to clear a free kick from the right by Andrea Pirlo.
Inzaghi shot into an empty net in the 71st after another pass from Kaka for Milan's fourth goal.
Massimo Ambrosini scored an own goal in the 85th before Boca substitute Pablo Ledesma was sent off in the dying stages for a tackle on Kaka.
Milan previously won the club world title in 1969, 1989 and 1990.
The Serie A giants picked up US$5 million prize money for the victory and became the first European team to win the revamped competition.
Brazil's Internacional downed Barcelona 1-0 in last year's final, and Sao Paulo beat Liverpool by the same margin in 2005.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
The Minnesota Timberwolves, with so many promising performances spoiled by late mistakes fresh in their memory bank, sure timed this strong finish well. Jaden McDaniels scored a career playoff-high 30 points and spearheaded Minnesota’s stifling defense on an ailing Luka Doncic, and the Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-104 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Friday night. “Jaden never looks tired. He looks like he could play 48 minutes,” said teammate Anthony Edwards, who had 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Julius Randle added 22 points for the Wolves, who outscored
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,