EUROPEAN and Italian champions Inter Milan became the first Italian side to collect five major trophies in a single year after beating Africa's TP Mazembe 3-0 in the final of the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Although the DR Congo side failed to achieve an extraordinary Club World Cup triumph, they had already made history after becoming the first African team to reach the tournament's final following a stunning 2-0 victory over Internacional of Brazil. It was a deserved win for Inter, who were undoubtedly the class of the tournament but four-time African champions Mazembe came away from Abu Dhabi with their heads held high and their reputation, and that of African football, enhanced. The victory will go some way to easing the pressure on Inter boss Rafael Benitez, who has underwhelmed since taking on the unenviable task of succeeding Jose Mourinho. Inter add the Club World Cup crown to their Champions League, Serie A, Italian cup and European Super Cup titles, emulating the achievement of Barcelona last year. Inter also won the Italian Super Cup in pre-season. Eto'o, who was expected to miss the match, laid on the 13th-minute opener for Pandev with a defence-splitting pass, and then got on the end of a pass from the dazzling Javier Zanetti to grab the second. The goalie denied Milito's shot just before half-time before Mazembe enjoyed their best chance, Dioko Kaluyituka's powerful shot being blocked by Ivan Cordoba. In the second half, Maicon made a charging run only to see his shot strike the outside of the post. After Mazembe, CAF Champions League winners in 2009 and 2010, lost to Inter, police fired over football fans' heads to disperse the angry crowds in Lubumbashi in DR Congo, according to the BBC. They are believed to have thought the Japanese referee was Chinese, and were angered by some of his decisions. During the game, fans had chanted "Chinese go home". Many Chinese firms work in the copper mining industry in Lubumbashi, capital of Katanga province. Disappointed fans smashed windows and started to loot mobile telephone premises owned by Chinese companies, the Agence France-Presse news agency reported. Police restored order, and no- one was reported injured. TP Mazembe returned home to a heroes' welcome on Sunday evening as thousands of fans streamed the streets of Lubumbashi to greet the team.
