Messi treble gives Barcelona cup cruise; Eto'o double for Inter

January 12, 2011 -- Updated 2358 GMT (0758 HKT)

Lionel Messi watches as his cute chip opens the floodgates for Barcelona in the cup quarterfinal against Betis.

• World player of year Lionel Messi nets treble as Barcelona thrash second division Betis
• Argentina forward helps put Barca 5-0 ahead in Spanish Cup quarterfinal tie
• Inter |Milan through to last eight of Italian Cup after beating Genoa 3-2
• Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o scores twice for the defending champions

(CNN) -- Lionel Messi celebrated his second successive world player of the year award with a hat-trick as Spanish champions Barcelona crushed division two team Real Betis 5-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarterfinal on Wednesday night.
The Argentina forward, who headed off clubmates Andres Iniesta and Xavi to win the FIFA Ballon d'Or on Monday, proved the difference after the visitors provided stern early resistance.
The 23-year-old finally broke the deadlock a minute before halftime with a delightful chip, and the tie was effectively over ahead of next week's second leg when he completed his treble with 17 minutes to play.
Betis deserved better for their first-half efforts, highlighted by Ruben Castro crashing a shot against the crossbar soon after Messi's opener.
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Sepp Blatter on 'wonderful' Messi

But in the end they had goalkeeper Casto to thank that the scoreline was not even greater as he bravely thwarted a succession of Barca attacks.
As it was, Pedro made it 4-0 on 76 with his 13th goal in 14 games after Casto blocked Daniel Alves' initial effort, and Seydou Keita headed the fifth with seven minutes to play as he rose high to meet Iniesta's outrageous scooped cross.
Midfielder Iniesta also had an assist with Messi's first, while the second came in the 62nd minute following a pass from David Villa as the diminutive hero of the Catalan crowd squeezed home from an acute angle after Casto beat out his first attempt.
Messi took his tally to 31 for the season when he won a one-on-one duel with the keeper, but Casto denied him a fourth from a similar situation before he was substituted.
Messi claims World Player of the Year award
Josep Guardiola's team, seeking a 26th King's Cup crown, are now unbeaten in 29 matches in all competitions since the shock loss to Hercules in early September.
In Wednesday's other quarterfinal tie, cup holders Sevilla battled back to earn a 3-3 draw away to third-placed La Liga side Villarreal.
The home team twice led by two goals, as Cani and Italy forward Giuseppe Rossi made it 2-0 inside the opening half hour.
Striker Alvaro Negredo replied with the first of his two goals six minutes before halftime but Marco Ruben restored Villarreal's advantage 10 minutes after the break.
Blatter hails La Liga as 'best in the world'
Negredo leveled on the hour mark and defender Alexis Ruano grabbed a crucial third away goal ahead of the decider at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
On Thursday, 17-time winners Real Madrid host city rivals Atletico while Deportivo La Coruna travel to Almeria in a clash between two of La Liga's struggling teams.
Inter Milan moved into the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup on Wednesday night as the defending champions won 3-2 at home to Genoa with two goals from striker Samuel Eto'o.
The Cameroon star struck in the 15th minute and again just before halftime with a fierce half-volley for his 21st this season, but Genoa midfielder Houssine Kharja reduced the deficit nine minutes after the break with a penalty following a foul by debutant defender Andrea Ranocchia -- playing against his former club.
Kenyan midfielder MacDonald Mariga restored Inter's two-goal advantage with a header from a corner five minutes later, and Giuseppe Sculli's reply in time added on was just a consolation.

Palermo also progressed into the last eight of the Coppa Italia with a 1-0 win at home to Chievo, as Fabrizio Miccoli scored the only goal from the penalty spot with 10 minutes left.

 

Hun Sen Cup wraps up its group stage

Thursday, 13 January 2011 15:00 Ung Chamrouen

Yesterday’s rounds of the 2011 Samdech Hun Sen Cup saw a predictable conclusion to the group stage, with all top tier teams advancing to the knockout round.

Games of note including a walkover for Kratie after Preah Vihear decided not to show for the match between the two already elimanted teams in group C.

Rithi Sen midfielder Ouk Chandarith was hailed man-of-the-match after his goal helped the Kampong Chhnang outfit win 2-1 against Banteay Meanchey, and grab a place in the next round.

In a watertight group D, Stung Treng took first place via their superior goal difference and Chhma Khmao edged second spot ahead Western University by means of goal scored. All three had finished in the group stage tied on five points apiece.


Wednesday’s results

• Prek Pra Keila 2 Rithy Sen 0
• Banteay Meanchey 0 Mekong K Uni 3
• Preah Khan Reach 2 Chhlam Samuth 0
• Kratie v Preah Vihear (Kratie given 3 points after Preah Vihear abandoned)
• Western University 1 Kandal 0
• Chhma Khmao 1 Stung Treng 1
• Naga Corp 6 Kep 0
• Takeo 0 P Sihanouk Autonomous Port 0