In what can be considered the first zebra of the Club World Cup, Inter Milan only tied with Monterrey-Mex on Tuesday (17), 1-1, at the debut of both teams by the group and, in a game played at Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, stage of the 1994 World Cup final.
Runner-up of the latest edition of Champions League, the Italian team left behind on the scoreboard after taking a goal from Spanish defender Sergio Ramos. At 39, the defender, who built a victorious career at Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, tested firmly to the network 25 minutes into the initial stage after a corner kick.
It was the fifth goal of the defender in ten matches for the Mexican team, with which he signed a contract in February this year, with an eye on the World Cup. The scorer’s sage, however, is not new to the defender. Over the years he defended Real Madrid from 2005 to 2021, the defender scored 101 goals in 671 games and won 22 titles.
Even Sergio Ramos’s goal, Monterrey had made little danger to Sommer’s goal. It was the Italian formation that controlled the game and spent much of the time in the attacking field.
The pressure, however, was not converted into goals. This only happened on 41 minutes, when he fitted a rehearsed play in a set of ball: Asllani launched to Carlos Augusto, and the Brazilian defender, revealed by Corinthians, served Lautaro Martinez. From plate, the Argentine tied.
The second stage presented a similar scenario. Again, Inter started better, maintained possession on the attacking field for much of the time, but it was Monterrey who had the best chance to score first. At 18 minutes, the Spanish midfielder Canales risked a low finish and hit the post. Sommer would not have arrived on the ball.
After that, Inter again accumulated missing chances, especially with Lautaro. In the best of them, the Argentine finished over after receiving the ball near the penalty brand.
Well organized in defense and ready for counterattacks, Monterrey managed to support the Italian pressure and still had a chance to go out with the victory, but also wasted a good chance with the midfielder Deossa.
With the result, River Plate finished the first round as the isolated leader of the group E, with three points. Earlier, also on Tuesday, the Argentine team beat Urawa Reds from Japan 3-1. Monterrey appears second because he took only one yellow card against three of the Italians, distributed by Brazilian referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio, also a newcomer in the competition.
