News Archive

Club World Cup, semi-final

Barcelona 3 - Guangzhou Evergrande 0

A hat-trick from Luis Suárez against Asia champions Guangzhou ensured Barcelona a place in Sunday's final against River Plate. Neymar was already ruled out of the match, and Luis Enrique had to rethink his line-up when Messi also pulled out with a bad case of kidney stones. The Spaniards still dominated the game though, and Munir went close a couple of times before Suárez beat Li Shuai on the follow up after the keeper could only push out a wickedly curving shot from Rakitic. Scolari’s team came back however before the break, Bravo having to save from Elkeson and Paulinho, but some five minutes in to the second half Suárez controlled Iniesta’s lofted pass on his chest before poking a shot past Li. And with just over an hour gone Suárez completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Munir was brought down by Huang, the first player to score three goals in the inter-continental competition since Pele did so back in 1962. (17.12.15)