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Last year’s treble winners Inter added yet another trophy when they beat Congolese football club TP Mazembe 3-0 in a rather one-sided final.
The FIFA Club World Cup, contested each year between the champion clubs from all six continental champions, was hosted by the United Arab Emirates this time. This was the first time a team from outside South America and Europe had reached the final.
Rafa Benitez’ men were under pressure to win the cup after a disappointing start to their Serie A campaign. After 17 matches, Inter are currently placed at 7th position in Serie A, 13 points behind leaders and local rivals AC Milan. Benitez’ job at Inter has been under scrutiny with various club legends coming on record to criticize his defensive tactics.
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Inter started the match in an attacking fashion with Milito up-front, Pandev and Ett’o to support him. It didn’t take the three strikers too long to bring Inter in the lead, when in the 12th minute of the match, Pandev produced a delightful finish, 12 yards out of the goal after a brilliant play from Ett’o to set up the goal. Just after 3 minutes, captain Javier Zanneti, who seems to be getting younger with age, produced a superb cross to set up Ett’o on the edge of the box who slammed a low volley into the net. It was his 19th goal in 23 matches for Inter. With just 17 minutes on the clock, Inter were cruising past the African side for yet another trophy. Milito missed a few easy chances when he shot straight at the goalkeeper from 10 yards out in the 22nd minute with almost no pressure on him. He also missed a free header in the 59th minute when Stankovic put in a delightful little ball into the penalty box.
Mazembe were active in the match for a brief period of around ten minutes, between the 70th and 80th, when they went close to scoring. Dioko Kaluyituka broke free and tried to round goalkeeper Julio Cesar only to be denied by a heavy first touch on the ball. Minutes later, Cesar was involved again when he stopped Kaluyituka’s shot from Mulota Kabangu’s cross. The African players seemed to be trying too hard to impress in front of FIFA President Sepp Blatter and other top officials. Some of their tackles could have been booked and on one or two occasions, their players came close to being sent off, but the referee, it seems had forgotten to take the red card along with him. Mazembe’s period of stronghold ended when substitute Jonathan Biablany, who replaced the out-of-touch Milito applied a finishing touch for Inter’s third goal in the 84th minute.
An easy win for Inter, who ended their Club World Cup campaign without conceding a goal and a remarkable achievement for Mazembe; who became the first non-European or South American team to reach the finals. The win made Inter the fourth straight European winners of the title, following AC Milan, Manchester United and Barcelona in the recent years.
