Milan 4 Boca Juniors 2: Kaka dazzles as Milan claim Club World Cup
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Your support makes all the difference.Kaka inspired Milan to a 4-2 thrashing of Boca Juniors in the Club World Cup final here yesterday. The Brazilian capped a virtuoso performance by scoring his side's third goal and setting up two for Filippo Inzaghi as the Italians became the first European side to win the revamped tournament.
"This was the one trophy I hadn't won," Kaka said. "It's magical to finally get my hands on it. I can't describe how happy I am. I've won everything now it's amazing." A slide-rule pass from the European Player of the Year gave Inzaghi the simple task of firing Milan into the lead in the 21st minute. Boca equalised two minutes later through Rodrigo Palacio's header but the defender, Alessandro Nesta, volleyed Milan back into the lead just after the break.
Kaka added the third by firing past Mauricio Caranta after a dazzling run before squaring to Inzaghi for Milan's fourth. Both sides finished with 10 men Milan's Kakha Kaladze was sent off in the 77th minute and the Boca substitute, Pablo Ledesma, saw red for a wild lunge at Kaka.
Milan's captain Paolo Maldini announced afterwards that he will retire at the end of the season.
Goals: Inzaghi (21) 1-0, Palacio (23) 1-1; Nesta (50) 2-1, Kaka (62) 3-1, Inzaghi (71) 4-1, Ambrosini og (85) 4-2.
Milan (4-4-2): Dida; Bonera, Nesta, Maldini, Kaladze; Gattuso (Emerson, 65), Seedorf (Brocchi, 87), Pirlo, Kaka; Ambrosini, Inzaghi (Cafu, 76). Substitutes not used: Kalac, Gilardino, Simic, Jankulovski, Favalli, Gourcuff, Serginho, Oddo, Fiori.
Boca Juniors (4-4-2): Caranta; Maidana, Paletta, M Rodriguez, Ibarra; Battaglia, G Luengo (Ledesma, 67), Cardozo (Gracian, 68), Banega; Palermo, Palacio. Substitutes not used: Garcia, Silvestre, Cahais, Krupoviesa, Boselli, Bueno, Datolo, Bertolo, Vargas Rivera, Migliore.
Referee: Marco Rodriguez (Mexico).
Booked: Milan Ambrosini; Boca Ibarra, Battaglia, Paletta.
Sent off: Milan Kaladze (78); Boca Ledesma (88).
Man of the match: Kaka
Attendance: 53,600.
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