KLIK SAJA - Both chasing their first win at this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, Italian giants Inter Milan will face Group E dark horses Urawa Red Diamonds on Saturday in Seattle.
Inter opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Monterrey, while Urawa fell to a 3-1 defeat against River Plate.
With only two teams advancing from the group, neither side can afford to drop more points if they hope to progress.
The clash at the Rose Bowl marked Inter’s first outing since their heartbreaking defeat in the European final, and the team came in determined to start fresh under new head coach Cristian Chivu.
The former Inter defender replaced Simone Inzaghi, who stepped down three days after a heavy 5-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain and later joined Al Hilal—also a Club World Cup participant.
Against Monterrey, Inter initially trailed after 39-year-old captain Sergio Ramos headed the Mexican side in front. However, Inter's own skipper, Lautaro Martinez, leveled the score just before halftime.
Despite dominating the second half and registering eight attempts on goal, the Nerazzurri were unable to convert again and had to settle for a draw.
Chivu, who previously managed Inter’s youth side and had an impressive short stint at Parma, now shoulders the responsibility of leading one of Italy’s elite teams on the global stage.
With a rich legacy that includes two Intercontinental Cup titles in the 1960s, Inter has a proud tradition in international competitions.
Chivu is expected to inspire his squad to go far—or at the very least, avoid an early exit.
A loss to Urawa could prove disastrous, increasing the pressure on Inter to secure all three points at Lumen Field before facing River Plate next week in a potentially decisive showdown.
Meanwhile, Urawa entered the tournament having won only two of their last seven matches and currently sit fourth in Japan’s J1 League, seven points behind the league leaders.
As champions of the 2022 AFC Champions League—claiming their third continental title—the Japanese side opened their campaign against a strong River Plate team and lost 3-1.
A penalty from Yusuke Matsuo offered a glimmer of hope early in the second half, but a stronger performance after the break wasn’t enough to avoid defeat.
