Inter secured a 2-1 victory over Urawa Red Diamonds in their second Group E match at the FIFA Club World Cup, handing Cristian Chivu his first win as head coach. Despite dominating possession throughout the encounter in Seattle, Inter had to wait until stoppage time to claim all three points.
The Japanese side opened the scoring in the 11th minute through a well-executed move on the right flank involving Kaneko and Watanabe. Inter responded with a series of chances but struggled to break down a compact Urawa defence. Lautaro Martínez came close in the first half, striking the crossbar in the 19th minute following a cross from Asllani.
Urawa remained organized and looked to exploit rare opportunities on the counter, nearly capitalizing on a five-against-two break midway through the second half, which ultimately went to waste. Inter continued to press, and their efforts were rewarded in the 78th minute when Martínez converted a corner with an acrobatic effort to level the match.
The decisive moment came in the 92nd minute. A loose ball in the penalty area fell kindly to Valentin Carboni, who fired a low diagonal shot past the goalkeeper to seal the win.
Chivu’s side controlled the game for long stretches but struggled to create clear openings, with signs of early-season rust still evident. Nevertheless, individual quality proved decisive late on.
The match also saw a notable moment for the Esposito family, as Francesco Pio Esposito made his senior debut for Inter, replacing his brother Sebastiano at halftime.
With the win, Inter take a significant step towards the knockout stages of the competition.
