Brazilian club Fluminense shocked Inter Milan with a 2-0 win to reach the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup, where they could face Manchester City.
Striker German Cano’s stooping header in the third minute put the Brazilian giants ahead early and substitute Hercules scored a curling edge-of-the-box shot against the run of play in a difficult last 25 minutes.
Inter’s star forward Lautaro Martinez had a series of chances to equalise before the second goal, including one against the post late on, while Federico Dimarco also came close to scoring from two free-kicks and had a close-range shot from a wide angle.
But the best chance fell to Dutch defender Stefan de Vrij after Martinez’s clever knockdown.
The match was played in front of a crowd of just 20,030 in the final match at the 74,867-capacity Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Fluminese join fellow Brazilian club Palmeiras in the quarter-finals and will face the winner of Manchester City’s match with Al-Hilal in the Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Friday.
What’s the main talking point?
This competition simply means more to the South American clubs involved – celebrations as the final whistle signalled Fluminense had progressed to the quarter-finals were wild among players and fans alike.
The Brazilian clubs involved have proven they are capable of competing with giants from European football, especially in conditions that favour them.
The heat and quality of pitches have not been easy for European clubs to deal with, while supporters from South America have dominated the various host cities in the US making each match seem like a home game for their clubs.
Who stood out and who did not?
Argentina international Martinez struggled for 65 minutes but a series of substitutions from new manager Cristian Chivu freed him up and he was unlucky not to score.
However, his strike partner Marcus Thuram was poor and quiet throughout while all of legendary defender Thiago Silva, 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio and forward Jhon Arias excelled for Fluminense.
What’s next for these teams?
Winners Fluminense face a quarter-final against Manchester City or Al-Hilal on Friday, while Inter Milan will have some time off before their Serie A campaign kicks off away at Torino in August.