Substitute Adriano fired an 82nd-minute winner as Brazil's
Internacional beat Barcelona 1-0 to win the Club World Cup in Japan
overnight.
Barcelona had totally dominated in front of 67,000 people until
Adriano latched on to Iarley's clever ball to beat goalkeeper
Victor Valdes with the deftest of flicks.
"I said yesterday that we didn't need to fear Barcelona," Inter
coach Abel Braga said.
"The only thing that would give me more joy would be to win this
again next year, or to become coach of the Brazil national team and
win the World Cup."
Adriano's strike was a bolt from the blue and stunned Barcelona
into action.
"I'm over the moon," he said.
"I wasn't expecting to come on. To come on and score the winning
goal is a dream come true."
Ronaldinho squandered Barcelona's best chance of the first-half,
blasting into the side-netting after goalkeeper Clemer had spilled
Deco's long-range shot in the 19th minute.
"This is not the team's failure," said Barca coach Frank
Rijkaard. "It's my failure as coach. I take full responsibility.
But losing one match is not the end of the world."
"We're obviously disappointed and sad to lose," Ronaldinho
said.
(CRI via Reuters December 18, 2006)