Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund, last season’s UEFA Champions League finalists and runners-up, respectively, both stumbled out of the gate in their FIFA Club World Cup openers on Tuesday, settling for draws against their opponents.
In Group E, Inter Milan fought back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Mexican side Monterrey, while Dortmund were held to a goalless stalemate by Brazilian outfit Fluminense in Group F.
Chivu’s Coaching Debut Ends in a Draw for Inter
Inter Milan’s first match under new head coach Cristian Chivu ended in a frustrating draw. Monterrey took the lead in the 25th minute through Ramos, who headed in a corner delivered by Oliver Torres, rising above Alessandro Bastoni to score.
Inter responded just before halftime. Midfielder Kristjan Asllani floated a free-kick into the box, which found Augusto on the right. The Brazilian squared it across the goalmouth for Lautaro Martínez, who slotted it in to make it 1-1.
Both teams had chances in the second half. Monterrey came closest in the 64th minute when Sergio Canales struck the post with a powerful long-range effort. The rebound fell to Ocampos, who fired wide. Inter thought they had scored a winner in the 67th minute when Lautaro found the net again, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Rising Star Mastantuono Shines as River Plate Outclass Urawa Reds
In the other Group E matchup, Argentine giants River Plate kicked off their campaign with a convincing 3-1 win over Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds. All eyes were on 17-year-old Claudio Echeverri Mastantuono, who impressed with 10 successful duels from 18 attempts in a dynamic midfield display.
River struck first in the 12th minute when Acuña delivered a pinpoint cross for Colidio to head home. They doubled their lead just after halftime as a defensive error by Urawa gifted the ball to Driussi, who beat the keeper to make it 2-0.
Urawa clawed one back in the 56th minute when Yusuke Matsuo converted a penalty after Takuro Kaneko was fouled in the box. But River sealed the result in the 73rd minute when Mesa powered in a header from Acuña’s corner to restore a two-goal cushion.
Dortmund Frustrated in Goalless Draw with Fluminense
Borussia Dortmund had a quiet night in their Group F opener, struggling to generate clear chances against Brazilian side Fluminense. The Bundesliga outfit found themselves on the back foot for much of the game, with goalkeeper Gregor Kobel making a string of crucial saves to deny the South Americans.
Despite dominating possession, Fluminense couldn’t find a way past the Swiss shot-stopper, as Dortmund held on to secure a point.
Sundowns Edge Ulsan in Tight Contest
In the other Group F fixture, South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns earned a narrow 1-0 win over Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea. The game’s only goal came in the 36th minute through Reinas, who calmly finished after a well-worked team move.
The next round of matches will be pivotal as teams look to strengthen their chances of advancing. European powerhouses Inter and Dortmund will be under pressure to secure wins to keep their title hopes alive.
