logo
Fluminense stun Inter Milan to reach Club World Cup quarters

Fluminense stun Inter Milan to reach Club World Cup quarters

Al-Ahram Weekly19 hours ago
German Cano's header from close range gave Fluminense an early lead and they then withstood an onslaught from the Italian side in the second half before substitute Hercules sealed their victory late on.
The Rio de Janeiro outfit, who qualified for the Club World Cup thanks to their Copa Libertadores triumph in 2023, become the second Brazilian side to make the last eight after Palmeiras had already sealed their quarter-final spot.
Captained by 40-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva, 'Flu' will now go to Orlando for a tie on Friday against either Manchester City or Al-Hilal.
It is the latest victory for a Brazilian team against prestigious European opposition at the tournament in the United States, after Botafogo defeated PSG and Flamengo got the better of Chelsea in the group stage.
Inter came to the US off the back of their 5-0 defeat by PSG in the UEFA Champions League final at the end of May and with a new coach in Cristian Chivu.
They did not fully convince during the group stage despite topping their section and they found themselves trailing inside three minutes before only just over 20,000 fans at the Bank of America Stadium on another hot afternoon.
A cross from the Fluminense right by Jhon Arias took a deflection off Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni and the ball then bounced awkwardly before veteran Argentine striker Cano arrived to head in through the legs of goalkeeper Yann Sommer from close range.
Ignacio thought he had made it 2-0 before the interval, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.
Sommer then tipped a fine curling strike by Arias around the post just after the hour mark, before Inter began to turn up the pressure in an attempt to avoid exiting the competition.
Stefan de Vrij prodded wide from close range after captain Lautaro Martinez had headed down a cross, and the latter then saw a fine shot on the turn from the edge of the box come back off an upright.
Martinez had also been denied by Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio moments earlier, and confirmation that it would not be Inter's day arrived in stoppage time.
On as a substitute, Hercules pounced on a falling ball and drove into the box before firing low into the corner.
Federico Dimarco then hit the woodwork at the other end as Fluminense held out for the victory to keep South American hopes of glory at the tournament firmly alive.
Find more details on group standings, match schedules, and competition statistics
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Short link:
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Arsenal sign goalkeeper Kepa from Chelsea - World
Arsenal sign goalkeeper Kepa from Chelsea - World

Al-Ahram Weekly

timean hour ago

  • Al-Ahram Weekly

Arsenal sign goalkeeper Kepa from Chelsea - World

Arsenal bolstered their goalkeeping options on Tuesday with the signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea for a reported £5 million ($7 million) fee. The 30-year-old Spaniard remains the most expensive goalkeeper in history after his £71 million move to Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao in 2018. However, Kepa failed to deliver on that price tag as he fell down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge before spending the past two seasons on loan at Real Madrid and Bournemouth. He is expected to act as back-up to established Arsenal number one David Raya. The Gunners reportedly exercised a £5 million buyout clause in a Chelsea contract Kepa signed last year. Welcome to The Arsenal, Kepa Arrizabalaga ❤️ — Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 1, 2025 Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have finished second in the Premier League for the past three seasons but have not won a major trophy since 2020. "I think we are so close to winning and, hopefully, altogether, we can achieve it," Kepa said in an Arsenal statement. The Spanish international becomes Arsenal's first signing of the close season. Here to raise the levels. Kepa Arrizabalaga is a Gunner. — Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 1, 2025 Martin Zubimendi is also on the verge of arriving at the Emirates from Real Sociedad, while talks are at an advanced stage for Brentford captain Christian Norgaard. "We are really happy to have Kepa joining us," said Arteta. "He brings a wealth of experience, which his teammates will benefit from, and he has a real hunger to win. "Kepa works hard and will elevate our levels. I know he will fit in perfectly, already knowing some of his teammates, and we are really excited about his future with us." (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:

Tennis: Top seed Sinner eases into Wimbledon second round - Omni sports
Tennis: Top seed Sinner eases into Wimbledon second round - Omni sports

Al-Ahram Weekly

time2 hours ago

  • Al-Ahram Weekly

Tennis: Top seed Sinner eases into Wimbledon second round - Omni sports

Top seed Jannik Sinner eased into the Wimbledon second round on Tuesday, brushing aside fellow Italian Luca Nardi in straight sets. Unfazed by the searing heat, Sinner barely broke sweat in a 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 victory lasting just one hour and 48 minutes on Court One. "I'm very happy to come back here to such a special place for me," Sinner said. "Playing an Italian is very unfortunate but one has to go through and luckily it was me." Sinner last week insisted his surprise decision to part with two of his coaching staff on the eve of Wimbledon would not affect his bid to win the tournament for the first time. He opted to move on from Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio, his trainer and physiotherapist, as he looks for a new direction following his painful French Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz. The pair had been employed by Sinner since September 2024, helping him retain the Australian Open crown in January and reach the Roland Garros showpiece in June. Asked if the decision might jeopardise his Wimbledon challenge over the next fortnight, Sinner was adamant it would be beneficial, with coaches Simone Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill still on his staff. On the evidence of his dominant display against Nardi the world number one, who returned from a three-month doping ban in May, will be just fine regardless of the coaching shake-up. "We worked a lot after Halle (grass-court tournament) on the serve and in important moments I felt I was serving very well," Sinner said. "First matches are never easy, so I'm very happy with the performance. It's a new tournament, new challenges. "If you don't enjoy to play on these courts, I don't know where you will enjoy. I will try to keep going." Sinner has won three of the past six Grand Slams, but the 23-year-old blew a two-set lead and wasted three match points as Alcaraz staged a comeback for the ages to win the French Open final. Sinner has failed to reach the Wimbledon final in his four visits, with a last-four appearance in 2023 ranking as his best effort. The Italian's Wimbledon preparations were also dented by a shock last-16 defeat against Alexander Bublik at Halle. Playing world number 95 Nardi for the first time, Sinner had little trouble dispatching the 21-year-old in his first Grand Slam match since that bitter defeat at Roland Garros. Sinner recently released a duet titled Polvere e Gloria, which means Dust and Glory, with renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli. The Italian will hope he continues hitting all the right notes in his Wimbledon title bid. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:

Saudi Arabia's great football experiment is paying off spectacularly at the Club World Cup
Saudi Arabia's great football experiment is paying off spectacularly at the Club World Cup

Al-Ahram Weekly

time2 hours ago

  • Al-Ahram Weekly

Saudi Arabia's great football experiment is paying off spectacularly at the Club World Cup

The oil-rich kingdom, which is spending billions of dollars to become a major player in the world's most popular sport, scored a big win on the field Monday when Al Hilal beat Premier League giant Manchester City 4-3 to advance to the quarterfinals. It was a seismic result in football terms; possibly the biggest upset of the tournament and precisely the type of statement Saudi Arabia has wanted to make since embarking on a project that will ultimately see it stage the World Cup in 2034. 'We wanted to show that Al Hilal has the talent, the power to be here,' said defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who was among a slew of star players paid fortunes to leave Europe's top clubs for the Saudi Pro League in recent years. Superstar signings and ones that got away The biggest of them all was Cristiano Ronaldo, who completed one of the most stunning moves in football history when joining Al Nassr for a reported salary of up to $200 million a year in 2022. That deal prompted a spectacular recruitment drive by Saudi teams — backed by the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund — and in came superstars like Neymar and Karim Benzema, while audacious attempts were made to sign Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. Confirmation that Saudi Arabia had won the right to host the World Cup came in December. On the field, the Club World Cup was the first chance for the country to make a global statement about the growth of its domestic game, which is largely unheralded outside of Asia. It is likely why Al Hilal — Saudi Arabia's most successful team — was so eager to make another marquee signing before the tournament began and tried, but failed, to lure Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes. It pulled off a coup by hiring coach Simone Inzaghi. The Italian arrived after leading Inter Milan to a second Champions League final in three seasons and he is already making a mark with his new team after drawing 1-1 against Real Madrid in the group stage and then beating City. 'We had to do something extraordinary because we knew how good Manchester City are, we knew we had to climb Mount Everest without oxygen, and we were great," Inzaghi said. Saudi Arabian football has faced doubts The broader picture is what Al Hilal's run says about the standard of football in Saudi Arabia, which has been dismissed by some as a cash grab for players, who can earn far more than if they'd remained in Europe. 'Let's see now if they will criticize us after these games," said midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who joined Al Hilal from Italian team Lazio. 'It's not like how they are speaking about the league.' Despite recruiting so many players from Europe's top clubs — including Champions League winners N'Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino — it is difficult to judge the quality of the Saudi League. To put Al Hilal's run into context: while it may have won a record 19 league titles and four Asian championships, it is not the Saudi Arabia's reigning national champion, having been beaten to the title by Benzema's Al-Ittihad last season. Another Saudi team, Al-Ahli, which counts former Liverpool forward Firmino and ex Manchester City winger Mahrez among its players, won the Asian Champions League this year. Ronaldo, meanwhile, is yet to win the title in three attempts with Al Nassr — pointing to the depth of strength in the league. Al Hilal's performances have also come despite releasing Brazil great Neymar in January and with leading scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic having played no part so far because of injury. Can Al Hilal win the Club World Cup? The question now is how far Al Hilal can go. Next up is Brazil's Fluminense in the quarterfinals in Orlando on Friday. City's exit — along with Inter Milan's defeat to Fluminense — has opened up that side of the draw, which also features Palmeiras and Chelsea. On paper it looks like the favorable side of the draw, with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain on the other side. But the success of Brazilian teams has been another theme of the tournament and Al Hilal will have to beat at least one more if it is to advance to the final. Inzaghi, however, is used to overachieving. His two Champions League finals with Inter Milan came despite having an aging team and relying on savvy deals in the transfer market to pick up free agents and veteran players. Inter's victory against Barcelona in the semifinals of this year's competition was one of the all-time classic contests — winning 7-6 on aggregate. Al Hilal's impressive run has come after Inzaghi spent just one week training with the team before the tournament. Even if it is eliminated in the next round, a quarterfinals appearance would represent an outstanding campaign for a team that was not expected to compete for the title. Sportswashing accusations remain Saudi Arabia's growing influence on sport — which also includes LIV Golf, world championship boxing, F1 and the buyout of Premier League team Newcastle — will continue to raise accusations it is 'sportswashing' its reputation. Amnesty international called it 'reckless' to grant it the World Cup over concerns about the country's human rights record. But its investment in sport is undoubtedly paying off and Al Hilal's run is succeeding in raising the profile of its football league. Find more details on group standings, match schedules, and competition statistics (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Short link:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store