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| Inter ease into final |
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Inter Milan booked their place in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup with a comfortable win over Asian champions Seongnam Ilhwa in Abu Dhabi.
Dejan Stankovic and skipper Javier Zanetti's first-half goals set the Nerazzurri on their way before Diego Milito sealed the result on 73 minutes.
Inter will now meet surprise package TP Mazembe in Saturday's final after the DR Congo side became the first African team to reach the title decider following their 1-0 win over Internacional yesterday.
Inter will be short-priced favourites to win the match and claim a fifth title of 2010 after a remarkable year that has seen them already win the Champions League, Serie A, Coppa Italia and Super Coppa.
The Italian club's win tonight was, however, slightly tarnished by an injury to playmaker Wesley Sneijder who was forced off after just four minutes.
Rafael Benitez's side were already ahead at that early stage though after Stankovic ran onto a loose ball and fired a low shot across Jung Sung-ryong from just inside the area.
Inter went further ahead just after the half-hour following a neat one-two between Zanetti and Milito.
Zanetti slid a low pass into the area for Milito who back-heeled the ball back into the path of his fellow Argentinian, who had continued his run, to thrash another low shot across the goalkeeper.
The South Koreans threatened a reply only on occasion, with Mauricio Molina twice shooting wide, before Milito ended the contest when he poked home after Samuel Eto'o had seen a shot saved.
# Moratti hails Benitez
Inter president Massimo Moratti praised coach Rafa Benitez after the victory.
"The set-up for the game was very good," he told Mediaset Premium. "Benitez prepared the game very well. I saw him really concentrating, as were all the players.
"The game turned out well. They played accurately and with attention. They showed personality. It was won early on and then controlled properly."
Benitez said Diego Milito's return was a key factor in the performance.
"It was not an easy game and we faced a very fast-paced opponent, but did well," he said. "Perhaps we were lacking a little sharpness, but we will improve. Diego is important for us and represents a great reference point in attack. We knew that with Milito we'd be more dangerous."
However, one negative to emerge from the game was an injury to Wesley Sneijder.
"We lost him straight away, but the team moved well anyway," Benitez said. "I think he has a muscular strain and it's almost certain he won't be there for the final."
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