Inter Milan preserved their contention for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup title by overcoming an early deficit to secure a late victory against Urawa Red Diamonds in Seattle.
The Japanese side initially took the lead through Ryoma Watanabe’s strike in the 11th minute, suggesting a potential upset. However, Inter Milan responded decisively with a spectacular overhead kick from their captain, Lautaro Martinez, followed by a stoppage-time goal from Valentin Carboni, which collectively resulted in the elimination of Urawa Red Diamonds from the tournament.
This match marked Inter Milan’s second appearance under the interim management of Cristian Chivu, following the recent departure of Simone Inzaghi. While Inter dominated the first half in terms of possession and chances, defensive lapses allowed Watanabe to capitalize on a counterattack, finishing with a precise low shot.
Despite Martinez’s header striking the crossbar eight minutes later, Inter’s overall finishing during the first half was suboptimal, with all nine of their attempts failing to hit the target.
In the second half, Inter intensified their offensive pressure, registering twelve shots, including a notable effort from Henrikh Mkhitaryan that narrowly missed an open goal.
Urawa Red Diamonds, who notably failed to qualify for this season’s AFC Champions League, maintained defensive discipline while continuing to pose a threat on counterattacks. Watanabe’s missed opportunity during a five-on-three breakaway, approximately twenty minutes before full time, exemplified their attacking potential.
The deadlock was broken in the 77th minute when Martinez executed an extraordinary overhead kick from a corner, leveling the scoreline.
With Urawa endeavoring to preserve the draw, Inter substitute Carboni seized upon a rebound in the second minute of stoppage time to score the winning goal, triggering jubilant celebrations from the Inter contingent.#newsafro_
