Top Stories

Corinthians beat Chelsea in Club World Cup final

After six years of European dominance, the Club World Cup is heading back to South America.

Brazilian side Corinthians defeated Chelsea, 1-0, in the Club World Cup Final on Sunday in Yokahama, Japan. Peruvian striker Paulo Guerrero delivered the game-winning goal on a late header for his second straight game-winning finish.

Chelsea created several scoring chances in the match, but Brazilian goalkeeper Cassio was up to the challenge every time, turning in an outstanding performance that helped him earn the Golden Ball award for tournament MVP.

Corinthians frustrated Chelsea throughout the match with high pressure all over the field, with midfielder Emerson leading the charge. The Brazilian side’s sharp passing and relentless defending made things uneasy for the European champions all match long.

Fernando Torres had his share of chances to find the net, including a wide-open look late on that Cassio saved from point-blank range.

CONCACAF representative Monterrey finished in third place in the Club World Cup after defeating Egyptian side Al Ahly, 2-0, in the consolation match.

Comments

    • This is always a difficult question because different people have different definitions of what makes the league “top”. Is it the league with the best team at the top? The one with the best 4-5 teams? Do we look at the bottom teams (where MLS would actually do OK since there isn’t a huge gulf between 1 and 19 … it is pretty rare in top heavy leagues for the worst team to beat the best one, but that happens all of the time in MLS – the worst teams just can’t consistently win against the rest)? Do we just consider the depth of talent league wide or the top 20 players league wide? Are we talking about money? And if so are we talking about revenue, pay, club value … and with that just the top teams or the middle / bottom also considered?

      Rankings are relatively silly because there are as many opinions about which data is included and which is ignored as you can have.

      I am entertained by MLS but also realize it isn’t the best players in the world. It is what it is. It has consistently improved over the last 5-7 years but still has room for much more. There is no magic wand to be waived that will suddenly create a viable second division and pro-rel, the ability to pay players like the EPL, etc. MLS and its clubs are too young for that in an American sports landscape that is dominated by the NFL, MLB and NBA (sports that rose to prominence 50+ years before MLS even existed). I am comfortable with slow growth. I am old enough to have witnessed the death of the old NASL and the void that left. If MLS suddenly removes all parity rules (salary cap, signing rules, draft, etc.) it too will probably go the way of the old NASL as there will only be 5-10 teams capable of doing that and interest will decline in such a small league. Slow growth is OK – more places see they can get in on the ground level which will ultimately create a stable but large enough 2nd division club (i.e. not tiny clubs playing in front of 600 people who we are going to magically promote in place of a club who plays in front of 20k just because the 20k team had a terrible year and the poorly supported clubs from Topeka, Provo, and Wichita had a pretty good one against Tulsa, Reno, Flint, Peoria, Bend, Kalamazoo, Boulder, Poughkeepsie … but will get completely destroyed in MLS. Having a financially stable and well supported 1st and second division and a second division who can reasonably compete to stay in the first division is necessary before pro-rel will every be viable). That won’t happen for US sports fans if 2-3 clubs completely dominate a league of teams financially unable to compete and we pretend the sham of pro/rel is real by sending up teams who have zero chance of staying there.

      Reply
    • well, Corinthians is valued at 500million dollars with revenues of around 150mil per year. MLS best franchise, Seattle, probably makes a profit of 50mil. Seattle would lose 20-2 against Corinthians. LA & Sea are probably the only 100mil dollar franchises in MLA. Sao Paolo & Botafogo are probably 400mil dollar teams.

      Reply
      • Seattle would score 2? I stopped reading right there.

        I hate the Flounders with a passion, but they wouldn’t lose by 18 goals. 5-0? Probably.

      • If Seattle makes a profit of 50 million a year (this seems generous to me but I’m just using your numbers) they would be worth way more than 100 million. Or 200 or 300 million. More like the 500 million dollar club Corinthians. Simple math, really. 50 million profit over 10 years equals 500 million dollars (plus appreciation of franchise value upon sale and membership in SUM) soooooo…… yeah they would be worth quite a bit more than 100 million making that much money.

      • Hey Clueless,

        The Sounders beat Monterrey in Monterrey during CCL. It is amazing someone who presumably watches soccer can be so wrong and such a bad judge of teams…is it because you have biases ? Or just that dumb ?

  1. Most of the time the european teams don’t take this tournament seriously and they don’t even care due to their season. As for the mexican and south american teams and asian, is like their chance of a lifetime to show off their skills in order get a job in europe and win a fifa trophy. That’s why this tournament should be done in a country that will put pressure on the european teams and even the south american teams. Just bring it to miami or LA or even NYC, what’s the matter…….

    Reply
    • thats hogwash el paso. sure, the european media and even some elements of the european teams themsleves suggest they are taking it lightly, but that’s only to minimize the impact/humiliation of a defeat. Benitez said chelsea was going all out for this trophy. What chelsea brought wasnt enough. They rightly lost to a more determined team. Corinthians franchise will be valued close to chelsea value after this….1billion dollars.

      Reply
    • How would putting this tournament in the USA put pressure on european teams? I fail to follow your logic. What the hell does that statement mean?

      Reply
      • To Id and bigprof=My statement is trying to imply that the fans who will go the games, will expect a high intensity soccer game and not just a simple game of BS. By the way, it is the club world cup right…..so if i’m a chelsea or monterrey fan, i will expect for my team to bring their professional attitude and winning heart, since i will be paying for my ticket. Oh what about the fan who will travel from X destination to USA, but if the tournament is hold in the U.S, they will be enough fans for every club, meaning that it will have a better atmosphere and intensity. This is not rocket science, more of common sense.

  2. Wow. Of course, firing Di Matteo and hiring Benitez may go down as the worst EPL manager switch in the years I’ve been watching.

    On the other hand, it could be genius If Chelsea continues their slide, they could be in line for a pretty high draft pick after the season and pretty high up in the allocation order, too. They have those in England, right?

    Reply
    • you eurosnobs do realise english football has a 100 year plus head start on mls, right? or perhaps you just don’t have a local team to suport? too bad for you….

      Reply
      • I don’t think they’re being “eurosnobby”. Maybe just a little humurous? Why does everything have to be so black and white?

        I’m a huge MLS fan, been following the league since ’96 (golden goals and penalty shootouts after every tie) and support the league’s growth and popularity whenever I can; taken abuse by man Americans for many years about MLS and being an American soccer fan.

        That doesn’t mean I can’t poke fun at the league or teams or whathaveyou when warranted. You’re telling me you don’t have a little chuckle at the memory of golden goal rule?

      • And to your point about not having a local team, when I first started following MLS I lived in Savannah, GA, now living in Memphis, TN and not once had a local team to support. (If you’re wondering the first team I latched onto was DC united). Now I don’t support a team per se, but the league and players and storylines moreso. I don’t know, I just do. I still have an affinity for DC and wish them well, but I can’t call myself a true supporter without even having been to one game.

        That said, I guarantee I can hold my own against the likes of you in spouting out random MLS facts and knowledge and probably know more about the history of the leagu,e it’s players and teams, than 90% of the average MLS fan. And I’m only 29.

        Guess what? My grandparents are from Fulham, and I have been a cottager since I can remember, having been to more Fulham games than any games in the US (though I’m working on rectifying that). So I support a “European” team more intimately than any MLS team. Am I a Eurosnob now too? But I would take MLS over EPL any day of the week. I love our little league and being an American it gives me great pride to follow MLS.

        What’s my point? Not everything is so black and white. I’m not picking on you, ok? Just your tired and wornout Eurosnob argument. It’s stupid pointless and a weak attempt to win an argument. Because it holds no water.

Leave a Comment