Thu 15 Dec
YOKOHAMA, Japan (AFP) - Liverpool have overwhelmed Deportivo Saprissa 3-0 to book a place in the final of the World Club Championhips and extend their winning streak to eight games and a record 11 clean sheets.
A brace from Peter Crouch and a stunning Steven Gerrard volley Thursday shattered any dreams the Purple Monsters, as the CONCACAF winners are known, had of playing against South American champions Sao Paulo on Sunday.
The win gave The Reds 11 clean sheets, beating the record dating back to the 1987-88 season when Bruce Grobbelaar and his team-mates, who were managed by Kenny Dalglish, went on a title-winning run in the old English First Division.
Fueled by a desire to set the new mark and win the only trophy to elude them in their 113-year history, Liverpool scored the first goal after just three minutes.
Crouch started and finished the move, laying off to John Arne Risse whose cross from the left was knocked down by Djibril Cisse into the path of the former Southampton striker who half-volleyed it past goalkeeper Jose Porras.
Gerrard made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute with a cracking volley from just inside the box after Risse found him unmarked with a beautifully weighted cross.
Crouch put it beyond doubt 13 minutes into the second half when he shook off two defenders to stab home his second of the night and the fourth of his Liverpool career, leaving his barren run well and truly behind.
There were no signs of the jet-lag that some people predicted would affect Liverpool's game as the European champions produced some exhibition football in front of 43,000 fans that should have produced more goals.
Spearheaded by Cisse, who made a rare start after seemingly settling his differences with manager Rafael Benitez, Liverpool split Saprissa's defence wide open time and again.
Crouch fluffed a half-chance in the 16th minute and had a penalty shout turned down soon after, while Risse should have scored with a free header midway through the first half.
But to the credit of the Costa Rican side, playing their biggest ever match, they troubled Liverpool on the break.
Alvaro Saborio had a great opportunity to score in the 27th minute when he latched onto a long ball over the top only to fire his shot past the upright, while Christian Bolanos and Walter Centeno both went close in the second half.
Benitez has made clear the trip to Japan is not a commercial exercise but an opportunity to bring home silverware and boost confidence going into the second half of the season, and on this form Sao Paulo will struggle on Sunday.
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