At Yokohama, Japan:
Luis Suarez produced a natural hat trick (39', 50', PK-67', that's him celebrating) as Barcelona (even minus the injured Lionel Messi and Neymar) dominated China's Guangzhou Evergrande 3-0 on Thursday to reach Sunday's FIFA Club World Cup final (also at Yokohama) against Argentina's River Plate.
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Two games were played on Wednesday as the FIFA Club World Cup continued at Osaka, Japan.
In the fifth-place game, Martin Eduardo Zuniga scored the winning goal in the 28th minute as Mexico's Club America held off the Democratic Republic of the Congo's TP Mazembe 2-1. Here, America's Dario Benedetto is congratulated by teammates after scoring the CONCACAF club champs' first goal in the 19th minute.
In a semifinal match at Nagai Stadium, Lucas Alario (shown here celebrating) scored the lone goal of Argentina's River Plate's 1-0 victory over Japan's Sanfrecce Hiroshima as the South American club champions reached the tournament's championship game.
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Both quarterfinal-round contests in the FIFA Club World Cup were played on Sunday in Osaka, Japan.
In the opener, Zheng Long (80') and Paulinho (90'+3, that's him celebrating after scoring) each scored a goal in the waning minutes as Guangzhou Evergrande came from behind to upend Club America 2-1.
Associated Press photo
In the nightcap, Tsukasa Shiotani (44'), Kazuhiko Chiba (56'), and Takuma Asano (78') produced the scoring as Sanfrecce Hiroshima dominated TP Mazembe 3-0. Here are the happy players of the recently-crowned J-League champions celebrating their victory.
Photo from ESPN FC website
On Wednesday, Sanfrecce Hiroshima will take on South American champs River Plate from Argentina in Osaka while Guangzhou Evergrande will take on European champions Barcelona on Thursday in Yokohama.
At Yokohama, Japan:
In Thursday's opening game of the FIFA Club World Cup, Yusuke Minagawa (9') and Tsukasa Shiotani (70', that's him, celebrating with teammates) produced the goals as Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who qualified by finishing atop the standings in the host nation's top soccer division, blanked Auckland City of New Zealand (representing Oceania) 2-0 to advance to the quarterfinal round in which they will take on African champs TP Mazembe (Democratic Republic of the Congo) on Sunday in Osaka.
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