Internacional win World Club title

Brazilian youngster Luiz Adriano came off the bench to score the only goal of the game as Internacional downed European champions Barcelona 1-0 to win the FIFA Club World Cup in Yokohama on Sunday.

Nineteen-year-old Adriano, a second-half replacement for Alexandre Pato, struck with just eight minutes remaining to maintain Brazil's dominance in the competition, making it three club world championship wins out of three for the country.

Internacional join inaugural winners Corinthians, who claimed the title in 2000, and last year's winners Sao Paulo on the honours list of world champions after their surprise victory over Frank Rijkaard's side.

But the Dutchman's team only had themselves to blame for not taking their first-ever world title as they struggled to unlock the South American side's defence and turn their dominance into goals.

After a cagey start that saw Pato head well over the crossbar from Ceara's 11th minute corner, Barcelona took command, fashioning the best chances but failing to find the back of the net.

Sixteen minutes into the game Gianluca Zambrotta's cross found Eidur Gudjohnsen in the Internacional penalty area but the former Chelsea man's effort was deflected wide for a corner.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst's long range effort three minutes later was fumbled by Clemer in the Internacional goal but Ronaldinho was unable to convert the rebound as the Brazilian goalkeeper steered the ball around the post.

Gudjohnsen was off target with his 23rd-minute header after a well-weighted ball from Deco down the right released Ludovic Giuly, who sent in a cross towards the Icelandic striker.

Three minutes later the 28-year-old was again wide of the mark, this time with a right-footed shot.

With Internacional paying him close attention, two-time World Player of the Year Ronaldinho was having little impact and his first real attempt on goal came in the 29th minute when he sent his low free-kick under the defensive wall but safely into the hands of Clemer.

Six minutes later Ronaldinho was again involved in the action, this time holding off the defence before pulling his shot from outside the area across the face of goal.

Internacional threatened at the start of the second half through Pato, whose right-footed shot was over the bar eight minutes after the interval, before second-half substitute Xavi gave Barca a boost, forcing Clemer to take evasive action.

However, the back-to-back Spanish champions were to regret their inability to crack the Brazilian defence with eight minutes to go when Iarley, formerly on the books of Real Madrid B, slid the ball through to Adriano and he clipped his shot beyond Victor Valdes.

Predictably, Barcelona pushed forward looking for the equaliser, with Deco going close with a long-range effort and Ronaldinho sending a 25-yard free-kick just wide of Clemer's right post, but the Brazilians held on for a famous win.