CHARLOTTE: Fluminense reached the Club World Cup quarter-finals with a stunning 2–0 win over Inter Milan as German Cano’s early goal and substitute Hercules’ stoppage-time strike toppled the Champions League runners-up in sweltering heat on Monday.
Coach Renato’s decision to line up a three-man defense paid off, catching Inter off guard and leaving the 2023 Copa Libertadores champions largely untroubled throughout the match.
“I put it in their heads that it would work. Inter is a great team. They have much more money than us, but on the field it’s 11 against 11,” Renato told DAZN.
“The team believed, fought, and stayed focused for the 90 minutes.”
Fluminense struck after three minutes when Cano pounced on a deflected cross and headed in from close range, putting the ball through goalkeeper Yann Sommer’s legs for a dream start.
Inter dominated possession, but Fluminense created the better chances, with Colombian forward Jhon Arias causing all sorts of trouble for the Italian side’s defense and Sommer.
Ignacio thought he had doubled their lead in the 39th minute as he nodded in from close range after a series of headers in the box, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
The Italians pushed for an equalizer after the break but were frustrated by a well-organized defense, while Stefan de Vrij missed a glorious chance after Lautaro Martinez set him up in the six-yard box after 69 minutes.
The 44-year-old Fluminense keeper Fabio also had a stellar performance, pulling off some key saves including denying substitute Sebastiano Esposito with his feet before Martinez struck the post late on.
Hercules sealed the win for Fluminense three minutes into added time, calmly slotting home from the edge of the box to send the Brazilians through to a last-eight clash with either Manchester City or Al Hilal on Friday in Orlando.
“The coach told us it was going to be a very difficult game, we knew that,” midfielder Hercules said. “But we were very focused on the game, that’s what we work for. And that’s it. The result is there.”
Fluminense shock Inter 2-0 to reach Club World Cup quarter-finals
https://arab.news/5fjnk
Fluminense shock Inter 2-0 to reach Club World Cup quarter-finals
- Coach Renato’s decision to line up a three-man defense paid off, catching Inter off guard and leaving the 2023 Copa Libertadores champions largely untroubled throughout the match
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s son could lift a trophy for AC Milan at Super Cup
- The younger Ibrahimovic could make his debut in one of the Rossoneri’s two matches in Saudi Arabia
- “They have good skills,” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said
MILAN: An Ibrahimovic could be lifting a trophy for AC Milan on Monday.
The talismanic Zlatan Ibrahimovic hasn’t come out of retirement but his 19-year-old son, Maximilian, has been called up by Milan for the Italian Super Cup.
Maximilian Ibrahimovic is one of six players from Milan’s reserve team who traveled to Saudi Arabia with the senior squad amid an ever lengthening injury list for the club.
His father scored 93 goals in 163 appearances over two spells at Milan, winning two Serie A titles and the Italian Super Cup.
The younger Ibrahimovic could make his debut in one of the Rossoneri’s two matches in Saudi Arabia.
“They have good skills,” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Wednesday. “I wanted to reward them for what they are doing in training.”
Milan, the Italian Cup runner-up, face Serie A champion Napoli on Thursday. Italian Cup winner Bologna play Serie A runner-up Inter Milan the following day, with the final on Monday.
Out of the four teams, only Inter won at the weekend, beating Genoa to go top of Serie A after Milan and Napoli both dropped points.
Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by Sassuolo — the third promoted team they have failed to beat this season, after a shock defeat at home to Cremonese on the opening day and a draw against Pisa.
“We should be angry but not demoralized,” Allegri said.
Milan managed to end the round in second place, a point below Inter and a one above Napoli, which lost at Udinese. Bologna lost at home to Juventus.
Despite their struggles against the promoted clubs, Milan have managed to beat the other teams in the top four this season, including Napoli.
“Tomorrow is a different match, it’s a knockout game where the aim is to get to the final,” Allegri said. “Napoli are a very strong team and they will be angry after the loss to Udinese.
“When there are difficult moments, (Napoli coach) Antonio Conte always manages to get the best out of his teams.”
Milan won the Italian Super Cup for the eighth time last season, beating Inter in the final to end a run of three straight titles for the Nerazzurri.
Napoli have won the competition twice — in 1990 and 2014. Bologna, which ended a 51-year wait for a major trophy with the Italian Cup, have never lifted the Super Cup.
