European champions Barcelona overpowered Qatar’s Al Sadd 4-0 yesterday to reach the Club World Cup final, with Brazilian defender Adriano scoring twice in an embarrassingly one-sided contest.
The Spanish champions, bidding to win the seven-team competition for the second time in three years, face Brazil’s Santos in a mouth-watering final in Yokohama on Sunday.
The gloss was taken off an easy win in front of 66,000 spectators after Spain striker David Villa was rushed to hospital with a broken leg after going down awkwardly in the first half.
Barca took the lead in comical fashion after 25 minutes, Pedro’s cross bobbling off Al Sadd defender Nadir Belhadj and goalkeeper Mohamed Saqr’s panicked clearance crashing off Adriano’s shin into the back of the net.
Adriano scored his second two minutes before halftime, latching on to a pass from Thiago Alcantara to drive a powerful left-foot shot into the bottom corner.
Argentine wizard Lionel Messi brilliantly picked out Seydou Keita, who calmly flicked home Barca’s third in the 64th minute.
Substitute Maxwell added fourth in the 81st minute to complete the rout as Barca’s quick passing game befuddled Asian champions Al Sadd, who gave them less trouble than stadium security had on arriving for the match.
Messi and several Barcelona teammates looked confused at being held up by zealous Japanese security guards after getting off the bus for not having their accreditation visible.
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