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.
Two people died on Thursday after fans and police clashed outside the Estadio Monumental in Santiago ahead of a game in South America’s Copa Libertadores, Chilean authorities said. The fatalities happened shortly before the match between Chile’s Colo-Colo and Brazilian club Fortaleza, when police blocked about 100 fans when they attempted to enter the stadium. There were conflicting accounts of how the fatalities occurred, with local media reporting that one of the dead was a 13-year-old boy. The other victim was an 18-year-old woman, according to a relative at the hospital where she was treated. The fans died after being caught underneath a
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen has become the first female player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after the Golden State Valkyries selected her in the third and final round of the league’s draft on Monday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship earlier this month. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament’s most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen (陳凱玲) has become the first player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after being selected by the Golden State Valkyries in the third and final round of the league's draft yesterday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship on April 6. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament's most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as a
Japan yesterday secured a second consecutive Billie Jean King Cup finals appearance with a 2-1 win over 2023 champions Canada, thanks to Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama’s 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win over Kayla Cross and Rebecca Marino in the qualifying doubles decider. Shibahara and Aoyama powered through the opening set 6-3, breaking twice for a quick 3-0 lead. Cross and Marino hit back in the second, edging it 7-5 to level the match, before the Japanese pair regained control in the third. Canada’s 18-year-old Victoria Mboko edged Shibahara 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5 in a marathon opening clash. Mboko fired eight aces to
RSS