Barca overpower Al Sadd to set up Santos final
Updated: 2011-12-16 15:40
(Agencies)
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Adriano of Spain's Barcelona celebrates after scoring against Qatar's Al Sadd during their Club World Cup semi-final soccer match in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Dec 15, 2011. [Photo/Agencies] |
* Win clouded by Villa's broken leg
YOKOHAMA, Japan - Barcelona swatted aside Qatar's Al Sadd 4-0 on Thursday to advance to the Club World Cup final, with Brazilian defender Adriano scoring twice in an embarrassingly one-sided contest.
The Spanish and European champions, bidding to win the seven-team competition for the second time in three years, face Brazil's Santos in Sunday's final in Yokohama.
The gloss was taken off their win in front of a crowd of 66,000 when Spain striker David Villa broke his left leg after collapsing under a heavy challenge in the first half.
"We're all very sad for David," Barca coach Pep Guardiola told reporters. "He will be out for a long time with this sort of break. It's a massive blow for him and Barcelona.
"He will return to Barcelona as soon as possible for an operation, escorted by a physician. We will have to win the Club World Cup without him but he is in our hearts."
Lionel Messi (R) of Spain's Barcelona attempts an overhead shot near Ibrahim Abdulmajed of Qatar's Al Sadd during their Club World Cup semi-final soccer match in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Dec 15, 2011. [Photo/Agencies] |
A glum-looking Guardiola added: "We didn't give Al Sadd a chance today."
Barca took the lead in comical fashion after 25 minutes when Pedro's cross bobbled off Al Sadd defender Nadir Belhadj and goalkeeper Mohamed Saqr's panicked clearance bounced off Adriano's shin into the back of the net.
Adriano scored his second goal two minutes before halftime, latching on to a pass from Thiago Alcantara to drive a powerful, left-foot shot into the bottom corner.
Fans of Spain's Barcelona, wearing costumes made to resemble Japanese sumo wrestlers, cheer for their team before their Club World Cup semi-final soccer match against Qatar's Al Sadd in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Dec 15, 2011. [Photo/Agencies] |
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