Kashiwa Reysol and Al Sadd have booked their semi-final places in the FIFA Club World Cup
following hard fought victories over Monterrey CF and Esperance Tunis respectively.
Kashiwa, representing the host nation Japan as the 2011 J-League champions, needed a penalty
shoot-out to get past North and Central American champions Monterrey after the two teams had played
out a 1-1 draw.
It may not have been the most difficult challenge that FC Barcelona would have to face in their
quest to become FIFA Club World Cup winners. That, however, did not dampen the celebrations as the
Spanish and European champions strolled their way past a poor Santos FC team courtesy of a 4-0
victory.
AFC Champions League title holders Al-Sadd were the surprise winners of Asia's premier club
competition and will feature in their first FIFA Club World Cup. Al Sadd, who hail from the Qatari
capital city of Doha, have a quarter-final meeting with African champions Espérance and, should
they emerge victorious, will look forward to a semi-final encounter against FC Barcelona.
The Japanese NewcastleGamba Osaka 1-0 Vegalta Sendai (26:11:11)Newcastle United fan Michael Hudson travels to Osaka to see the
Japanese version of... Newcastle United...There are two ways of getting from Nagoya to Osaka by train. The Shinkansen takes just under an
hour and will set you back the best part of sixty quid each way; a combination of local and rapid
trains is more than twice as long, half the price and perfectly timed to allow you to read at least
halfway through the
Blizzard while sitting next to a bloke in a gauze face mask whose head
keeps falling against your right shoulder.
The FFA and Adelaide United held their breadth at the Asian Casino last night...and won.
United have won direct entry into the Asian Champions League - meaning Australia now has three
teams in the group stages for the first time.
More exciting than watching Lou Sticca's fundraiser in Melbourne?
The FFA and Adelaide United held their breadth at the Asian Casino last night...and won.
United have won direct entry into the Asian Champions League - meaning Australia now has three
teams in the group stages for the first time.
More exciting than watching Lou Sticca's fundraiser in Melbourne?
The FIFA Club World Cup officially got under way today with two goals just before half-time
giving Kashiwa Reysol a 2-0 win over Auckland City in the qualifying play-off to send the Japanese
club through to the quarter-finals.
Kashiwa, who clinched the 2011 J-League title last weekend, had Junya Tanaka and Masato Kudo to
thank as the pair struck in the 37th and 40th minutes respectively to send the host nation's
representatives into the next round.
FC Barcelona will compete in this year's FIFA Club World Cup following a sensational UEFA
Champions League triumph in 2011. The Catalans must first face AFC Asian Champions League winners
Al Sadd before they can start dreaming of the possibility of winning the world crown for the second
time in three years.
