Barca thrash Santos 4-0 to win Club World Cup
Lionel Messi of Spain’s Barcelona kicks to score their fourth goal during their Club World Cup final soccer match against Brazil’s Santos in Yokohama, south of Tokyo December 18, 2011. – Reuters picYOKOHAMA, Dec 18 – Lionel Messi scored two wonder goals as European champions Barcelona thrashed Brazil’s Santos 4-0 to win their second Club World Cup in two years today.
The Argentine put the Spanish giants in front with an exquisite chip after 17 minutes in Yokohama before Xavi drilled home a second seven minutes later.
Cesc Fabregas stabbed home Barca’s third on the stroke of halftime as Barca threatened to run riot and came within a whisker of another goal moments after the restart.
Messi made it 4-0 eight minutes from time, brilliantly latching on to a Dani Alves pass and bursting past goalkeeper Rafael Cabral to slip the ball into the net. – Reuters
