Inter Milan, the UEFA Champions League runner-up, secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds on Sunday night in the second round of Group E at FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
First Half: Early Shock from Urawa
The Japanese side stunned the Italian giants early in the match when Ryoma Watanabe scored in the 11th minute, capitalizing on a clever assist from teammate Takuro Kaneko.
Inter nearly equalized eight minutes later, but Lautaro Martínez saw his powerful header crash off the crossbar. The first half ended with Urawa leading 1-0, leaving Inter chasing the game.
Second Half: Late Inter Comeback
Inter Milan came out aggressively after the break, dominating the first 25 minutes of the second half.
The trio of Federico Dimarco, Sebastiano Esposito, and Kristjan Asllani were especially active, although their five attempts went off-target.
Urawa almost dealt a fatal blow in the 70th minute when Watanabe led a quick counterattack, but his shot was easily collected by Inter keeper Yann Sommer.
Moments later, Henrikh Mkhitaryan missed Inter’s clearest chance, shooting just wide of the post.
Persistence paid off for the Nerazzurri in the 78th minute.
After a well-placed corner from Nicolò Barella, captain Lautaro Martínez scored a stunning bicycle kick to level the score—his second goal of the tournament.
Then, deep into stoppage time (92nd minute), Valentín Carboni found himself unmarked in the box and fired home the winning goal, completing a thrilling comeback for Inter Milan.
Yann Sommer Seals the Win at FIFA Club World Cup 2025
In the final moments, Yann Sommer made a decisive save from a dangerous cross that nearly deceived him, preserving Inter’s first win of the tournament, following their 1-1 draw with Monterrey in the opening round.
Group E Standings After Matchday 2 from FIFA Club World Cup 2025
- Inter Milan – 4 points (top of the group temporarily)
- River Plate – 3 points
- Monterrey – 1 point
- Urawa Red Diamonds – 0 points (virtually eliminated)
Club World Cup 2025 – 21 – June Results:
- Borussia Dortmund 4 – 3 Mamelodi Sundowns
- Inter Milan 2 – 1 Urawa Reds
- Fluminense 2 – 1 Ulsan Hyundai
- River Plate 0 – 0 Monterrey
Today’s Matches:
- Juventus vs Wydad Casablanca
- Real Madrid vs Pachuca
- Red Bull Salzburg vs Al Hilal (KSA)
- Manchester City vs Al Ain (UAE)
