Milan
Italian giants AC Milan have won the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup following a comprehensive 4-2 drubbing of Boca Juniors at Yokohama International Stadium.
Veteran striker Filippo Inzaghi scored twice in front of more than 68,000 fans, but Brazilian midfielder Kaka was the star of the show, setting up two goals and scoring one himself on his way to receiving the Player Of The Tournament award.
It took Milan just twenty-one minutes to open the scoring when Kaka surged into the box. His first shot was blocked, but he drove the rebound across the face of goal for veteran Inzaghi to produce a typical poacher's finish.
Boca Juniors were level less than sixty seconds later, when Claudio Morel Rodriguez curled over a cross from the left-wing that was expertly nodded home by Rodrigo Palacio.
Despite the scores being locked at 1-1 at half-time Milan were always in control, and they retook the lead five minutes after the interval when defender Alessandro Nesta profited from a fortuitous bounce to lash home a volley from close range.
Kaka then scored the goal that his stellar display deserved, before teeing up Pippo Inzaghi for his second of the match. Boca scored a late consolation through a Massimo Ambrosini own goal, but it did little to dampen the celebrations as Milan became the first European team to lift the revamped FIFA Club World Cup trophy.
The victory avenged a penalty shoot-out defeat to Boca Juniors at the 2003 Toyota Cup in Tokyo, with Kaka telling reporters that winning the Club World Cup with Milan was a "dream come true."
Milan will now look to defend their UEFA Champions League title when that competition resumes next February.
Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com