YOKOHAMA, Dec 15: Liverpool eased past Costa Rica’s Deportivo Saprissa 3-0 on Thursday to set up a final with Brazil’s Sao Paulo in FIFA’s Club World Championship. Peter Crouch scored twice and captain Steven Gerrard was also on target as the European champions set a new club record of 11 successive clean sheets in all competions.

Liverpool take on South American champions Sao Paulo in Sunday’s final at the same venue.

Liverpool took control of the game in only the second minute when Crouch applied a clinical finish after being set up by Johnj Arne Riise.

Gerrard added a second in the 32nd minute, volleying another Riise delivery superbly past Saprissa goalkeeper Jose Porras from 20 metres.

Crouch pounced on a defensive error to slide home his second of the game in the 58th minute to underline Liverpool’s complete dominance in front of a 44,000 crowd.

Liverpool’s shut-out of Saprissa surpassed the mark of 10 clean sheets set by Kenny Dalglish’s title winners of 1987-88.

Liverpool and Sao Paulo both received byes into the semi-finals of the revamped six-team competition.

Sao Paulo won the old world club championship in 1992 and 1993, while Liverpool will be attempting to become world champions for the first time after losing in the finals of the old competition in 1981 and 1984.—Reuters