A stunning strike from Neymar helped Santos book their place in the Club World Cup final at the expense of Kashiwa Reysol.
South American champions book final berth
A stunning strike from Neymar helped Santos book their place in the Club World Cup final at the expense of Kashiwa Reysol.
The highly-rated 19-year-old further enhanced his growing reputation as the reigning Copa Libertadores champions prevailed 3-1 at the Toyota Stadium in Japan.
All three of Santos' goals proved to be spectacular strikes, with Neymar having set the tone with his opener.
Hiroki Sakai briefly gave Japanese side Kashiwa hope by making it 2-1 in the 54th minute, after Borges had added to Neymar's breakthrough effort in the first half, but Danilo soon restored the Brazilian club's two-goal cushion with a fine free-kick.
Neymar, who has pledged his future to Santos despite interest from some of Europe's top teams, nearly opened the scoring early on when the ball fell to him in the Kashiwa area but his instinctive flick with the outside of his right foot hit the post.
But he made no mistake after 19 minutes when he took a pass from Ganso on the edge of the area, turned and hit a curling left-footed shot into the top-left corner of the goal.
Borges made it 2-0 within five minutes when he turned on the edge of the area and hit a rising shot into the top-right corner.
Crushed
Santos goalkeeper Rafael had to make a full-length save low to his left after fellow Brazilian Wagner followed up his weak free-kick which rebounded to him off the wall.
Full-back Danilo could have extended Santos' lead early in the second half but keeper Sugeno blocked with his feet.
Kashiwa pulled a goal back when a corner from the left by Wagner found the unmarked right-back Sakai, who headed past Rafael nine minutes into the second half.
However, any hopes of a comeback were crushed in the 63rd minute when Danilo curled a free-kick from 30 yards around the wall and into the net.
Kashiwa twice went close in the closing stages and Santos' Ibson saw his shot hit the bar, but there were no further goals.
Santos will face either Barcelona or Al-Sadd in Sunday's final in Yokohama.
