Club World Cup: Fluminense Stuns and Eliminates Inter | Two Brazilian Teams Advance to Quarterfinals

Fluminense made a bold move in the Club World Cup and qualified for the quarter-finals by eliminating Inter, which ended a season in which they aimed for everything and came away with nothing. With a header from Argentine Germán Cano three minutes into the first half and another goal from outside the area by midfielder Hércules in the third minute of stoppage time in the second half, along with solid defense and some good fortune, the carioca team defeated the current runner-up of Italy and Europe 2-0 in a match played in Charlotte, with high temperatures (36 degrees Celsius at kickoff) and a sparse crowd in the stands. In the quarter-finals, Fluminense, the second Brazilian team to reach this stage, will play in the first match on Friday against the winner of the game between Manchester City and Al Hilal, played late in Orlando.

It felt like Inter started late. Only in the last 25 minutes of the game did they step up and overwhelm a Fluminense side that, after Cano’s header that went through the legs of goalkeeper Jan Sommer, was able to defend itself with order and discipline without major scares. They even had two chances to seal the game much earlier. In the first half, following a long rebound off Sommer, a shot from defender Samuel Xavier went just past the right post. And in the second half, the goalkeeper denied Colombian Arias – the standout of the match – with a right-footed shot from outside that was headed for the corner.

Inter, up to that point lackluster and without the energy or determination they showed when defeating River, came alive from the 20th minute onward. Better supplied by Sebastiano Espósito than by Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martínez began to make an impact in the Brazilian area. First, he headed a ball down to De Vrij, who sent it wide from close range, and then he hit the left post with a shot.

It seemed like the equalizer was coming. But as injury time was running out, midfielder Hércules fired a shot from outside the area and scored the goal that put Fluminense among the eight best in the World Cup. Even Inter’s last attempt failed: a shot from Dimarco hit the crossbar in the final play of the afternoon.