A dramatic stoppage-time goal from 20-year-old substitute Valentin Carboni secured Inter Milan a vital 2-1 victory over Urawa Red Diamonds on Saturday, keeping their FIFA Club World Cup hopes alive while eliminating the Japanese side from the tournament.
For much of the match, Urawa were on course for a famous upset. Ryoma Watanabe gave his side a shock lead in the 11th minute, capping a swift counter-attack with a composed low finish past Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
Inter Milan, playing their second match under new coach Cristian Chivu, dominated possession but struggled to break down a disciplined Urawa defence. The Champions League finalists were frustrated for large periods, with captain Lautaro Martinez hitting the crossbar with a header in the first half and Henrikh Mkhitaryan missing a clear opportunity after the break.
Urawa remained a threat on the counter and squandered a golden chance to double their lead when Watanabe fired over from a promising position with 20 minutes remaining.
The Italian side’s persistence finally paid off in the 77th minute when Martinez scored a spectacular overhead kick from a corner to drag his team level. With Urawa desperately defending for a point, Carboni pounced on a rebound in the second minute of stoppage time to fire home his first goal for the club and spark wild celebrations.
The statistics highlighted Urawa’s resilient “smash and grab” approach; they had just 18% possession and completed only 113 passes compared to Inter’s 746. However, Inter’s finishing was wasteful, with only four of their 26 attempts hitting the target.
The result leaves Inter Milan second in Group E with four points, level with leaders River Plate of Argentina, who drew 0-0 with Mexican side Monterrey earlier in the day. River Plate remain top of the group due to a superior goal difference, having conceded one fewer goal than Inter.
The final group stage matches on Thursday will be decisive. Inter Milan will face River Plate in a winner-takes-all clash for progression to the knockout stages, while Urawa Red Diamonds will play Monterrey in their concluding fixture.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.