In Pictures: The Club World Cup

Vying for the title are Oceania title-holders Auckland City, Japan(***)s J-League winners Sanfrecce Hiroshima, European champions Chelsea, Copa Libertadores winners Corinthians, CONCACAF champions Monterrey, Asian champions Ulsan Hyundai and African champs Al Ahly [AFP]

The tournament has marked the first time FIFA has employed goal-line technology – GoalRef and Hawk-Eye are being trialled during the tournament [AFP]

Monterrey eased into the semi-final beating South Korea(***)s Ulsan Hyundai 3-1 in Japan thanks to two goals from forward Cesar Delgado, above, and one from midfielder Jesus Corona. Al Ahly beat Hiroshima in the other quarter-final [GETTY]

The seven-time African champions are returning to international football after 70 fans were killed in a stadium riot in February [GETTY]

Peru(***)s Paolo Guerrero was the hero of the day as Corinthians beat Al Ahly 1-0 in the semi-final. A team from South America have not won the Club World Cup since Brazil(***)s Internacional upset Barcelona 1-0 in the 2006 final [GETTY]

Corinthians won this tournament in 2000 and the South American champions have two players who have already won the title in left-back Fabio Santos and midfielder Danilo [GETTY]

Chelsea reached the final by scoring twice in the first three minutes of the second half to comfortably beat Monterrey 3-1 and book their showdown against the Brazilian giants [AFP]

Chelsea are gunning for a chance to claim a piece of silverware after becoming the first holders to be knocked out of the European Champions league group stages and enduring a miserable start to the English season [AFP]

But it was not to be. In the final Corinthians claimed the glory, overcoming Chelsea 1-0 in a closely-fought encounter. Monterrey took third place defeating Al Ahly 2-0 through goals from Jesus Corona and Cesar Delgado [Reuters}