Fluminense despatched Inter Milan packing from the Membership World Cup on Monday with a 2-0 win in Charlotte that took the Brazilian facet by way of to the quarter-finals.
German Cano’s header from shut vary gave Fluminense an early lead they usually then withstood an onslaught from the Italian facet within the second half earlier than substitute Hercules sealed their victory late on.
The Rio de Janeiro outfit, who certified for the Membership World Cup due to their Copa Libertadores triumph in 2023, grow to be the second Brazilian facet to make the final eight after Palmeiras had already sealed their quarter-final spot.
Captained by 40-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva, ‘Flu’ will now go to Orlando for a tie on Friday towards both Manchester Metropolis or Al-Hilal.
It’s the newest victory for a Brazilian group towards prestigious European opposition on the match in the US, after Botafogo defeated PSG and Flamengo received the higher of Chelsea within the group stage.
Inter got here to the US off the again of their 5-0 defeat by PSG within the UEFA Champions League ultimate on the finish of Could and with a brand new coach in Cristian Chivu.
They didn’t absolutely persuade through the group stage regardless of topping their part they usually discovered themselves trailing inside three minutes earlier than solely simply over 20,000 followers on the Financial institution of America Stadium on one other sizzling afternoon.
A cross from the Fluminense proper by Jhon Arias took a deflection off Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni and the ball then bounced awkwardly earlier than veteran Argentine striker Cano arrived to go in by way of the legs of goalkeeper Yann Sommer from shut vary.
Ignacio thought he had made it 2-0 earlier than the interval, just for his effort to be dominated out for offside.
Sommer then tipped a tremendous curling strike by Arias across the put up simply after the hour mark, earlier than Inter started to show up the strain in an try to keep away from exiting the competitors.
Stefan de Vrij prodded broad from shut vary after captain Lautaro Martinez had headed down a cross, and the latter then noticed a tremendous shot on the flip from the sting of the field come again off an upright.
Martinez had additionally been denied by Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio moments earlier, and affirmation that it could not be Inter’s day arrived in stoppage time.
On instead, Hercules pounced on a falling ball and drove into the field earlier than firing low into the nook.
Federico Dimarco then hit the woodwork on the different finish as Fluminense held out for the victory to maintain South American hopes of glory on the match firmly alive.
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