Brazilian side Fluminense rode their luck late on to hold on and beat Inter Milan and set up a Club World Cup quarter-final against either Manchester City or Al-Hilal.
Champions League finalists Inter were sloppy from the off and fell behind early on when German Cano headed a loose ball past Yann Sommer.
3 – Brazilian teams have recorded more wins (3) than losses (2, plus 2 draws) against European teams at this year’s @FIFACWC. Bonito. pic.twitter.com/wDoia03cgC
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 30, 2025
Fluminense were well on top for the first 65 minutes or so as the lethargic Serie A side struggled to create anything of note.
But Inter finally found some threat late on.
First, defender Stefan de Vrij somehow missed from a few yards out after captain Lautaro Martinez headed across.
Martinez was then denied by a fine sve by Fluminense’s 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio, before he hit a low shot against the post.
The Argentine could barely believe his lack of luck, and Fluminense then marched upfield in added time to add a second through substitute Hercules.
90+3′ HÉRCULEEEEEEEEEEEEEES! 💥
Fluzão strike in extra time to make it 2-0! 🇭🇺
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #INTFLU pic.twitter.com/NnmUD2lQFM
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 30, 2025
There was still time for Inter to hit the crossbar through Federico Dimarco but the final whistle at a sparsely populated Bank of America stadium in Charlotte saw jubilant scenes from the Fluminense bench.
City or Al-Hilal will have a tough ask in the quarter-final.
90+6′ Fluminense living on the edge. The post comes to the rescue once more! 🧱⚽
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #INTFLU pic.twitter.com/tsqZ9yTKlp
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 30, 2025