By Chesney Hearst, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Corinthians edged out English Premier League side, Chelsea 1-0 to claim the first FIFA Club World Cup for a South American team since 2006. The finals held in Yokohama, Japan’s Nissan Stadium on Sunday December 16th saw Corinthians’ Jose Paolo Guerrero score the only goal of the match in the 69th minute.
The Peruvian striker attacked the ball with three Chelsea players circling, turning a shot by teammate Danilo, that have been blocked by Gary Cahill, into a victorious header.
Corinthains goalkeeper, Cassio helped keep the Blues scoreless by making multiple saves throughout the game. At 84 minutes in, he faced off against Chelsea’s Fernando Torres.
The striker made, from roughly five yards out, a late in the game goal attempt to level the score but Cassio deftly blocked the shot. Torres also saw a header ruled out for offside in stoppage time.
The loss was especially painful for Chelsea who were under pressure to win after being crowned the UEFA Champions League winners in 2011 and having exited this year’s Champions League tournament during the group stage.
Their coach, Rafael Benitez, was also looking to prove himself after his recent arrival to the club. Brazilian Chelsea players, Oscar, Ramires and Luiz, were reportedly “devastated at the final whistle” and had to be consoled by the team doctor.
Corinthians, on the other hand, saw a reported 30,000 fans cheering them on throughout the game. Having beaten the Boca Juniors earlier this year in July to win their first Copa Libertadores title, Corinthians appear to be on a roll.
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