Barcelona dominated the opening minutes, scored twice in quick succession, and now they're on cruise control in the FIFA Club World Cup final. Neymar and Ganso have had some isolated moments when they looked like themselves, but Santos FC as a whole have been completely outclassed. Barcelona have a 3-0 lead at halftime, and they're not looking like they're interested in embarrassing their opponents. They've stepped off the gas a bit and look to be cruising to the trophy.
Barcelona Vs. Santos, 2011 FIFA Club World Cup: Halftime Score, Cules Cruising
The opening minutes were all Barcelona, as they easily controlled possession and put their opponents under pressure. It only took 17 minutes for Barcelona to get perfectly into their rhythm and break down Santos, with Lionel Messi scoring the opening goal. The finish was a classy one from close range, but the real brilliance was in the assist, provided by Xavi with an audacious flick perfectly into Messi's path.
Barca added their second in the 24th minute, this time with Xavi scoring a fantastic goal with a great control and strike from 10 yards out. From that point until the end of the half, they appeared to step off the gas a bit and play a bit slower, looking to keep the ball. They would find a third, however, thanks to some great work by Daniel Alves. In the 44th minute, he surged down the right flank and swung in a cross, which Messi got onto the end of. His shot was saved by Rafael, but Cesc Fabregas would eventually finish off the chance to give his team a 3-0 halftime lead.
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