Clarence Seedorf scored the only goal of the game as Milan eased past Japan’s Urawa Reds 1-0 to reach the final of the Club World Cup.
The Dutchman drove home the winner on 68 minutes after being set up by Kaka. Victoty for the Euroopean champions earns setting up a showdown with Boca Juniors in Sunday’s final.
“We showed great patience and waited for our moment to strike,” Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters. “I think the team demonstrated its quality tonight.
“We know Boca will be a different class from Urawa and we will need to play even better but we came to Japan with one aim – to take the trophy home to Italy. That’s still our goal.”
Milan won the Club World Cup’s forerunner, a one-off match between the champions of Europe and South America, in 1969, 1989 and 1990. The Italians lost to Boca on penalties in 2003.
“That defeat hurt,” saidKaka. “I can still remember it and look forward to facing Boca again. We were fully focused on Urawa today and they made it hard for us.”
Urawa coach Holger Osieck paid tribute to Milan.
“I think my team represented Japan well,” said the German. “The difference was the individual class of Kaka, and Seedorf, with all his experience, finished it off.”
