Barcelona into World Club football cup final
AFP Global Edition | 2009-12-16 20:10:36
<div><p>European champions Barcelona produced a masterclass to beat Mexican side Atlante 3-1 here on Wednesday and book their place in the World Club Cup final.</p><p>Guillermo Rojas shot Atlante into a surprise fifth-minute lead with Sergio Busquets dragging Barca back on level terms ten minutes from the break.</p><p>Second-half substitute Lionel Messi put the Spanish giants ahead in the 55th minute with Pedro wrapping up the semi-final in the 67th minute in front of 41,000 fans at the Zayed Sports City stadium.</p><p>Barcelona meet Argentine side Estudiantes, who beat South Korea's Pohang Steelers 2-1 in Tuesday's semi-final, in Saturday's final.</p><p>Atlante will face Asian champions Pohang Steelers in the third place play-off.</p><p>The World Club Cup is the only international honour missing from Barcelona's well-stocked trophy cabinet after their previous attempt to win it, in 2006, ended in a 1-0 defeat to Brazilian side Internacional.</p><p>Victory in the tournament would crown a remarkable year for the current Spanish league leaders, who last season won the Champions League, Spanish league and King's Cup to claim an unprecedented treble.</p><p>Pep Guardiola's side quickly settled into their familiar passing rhythm but they fell behind within five minutes when Rojas touched the ball past Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes before finishing from a difficult angle.</p><p>Atlante goalkeeper Federico Vilar had to save from Busquets as the Catalans sought a quick response, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic had an effort cleared off the line.</p><p>Andres Iniesta and Ibrahimovic were both narrowly off-target with long-range efforts but 10 minutes before the interval Barca levelled when Busquets touched home from close range after Yaya Toure had flicked on Xavi's corner.</p><p>Messi made his entrance shortly after the break and within two minutes he had delighted the crowd by putting his side in front.</p><p>The recently crowned European Footballer of the Year collected a reverse pass from Ibrahimovic before slipping away from a defender, rounding the goalkeeper and tapping the ball into an empty net.</p><p>Barca's third arrived 23 minutes from time, with Iniesta slaloming through the Atlante defence before setting up Pedro, who provided a nerveless finish.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=65555070&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>
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