Inter 0-2 Fluminense: Club World Cup ends with a whimper | OneFootball

Inter saw their Club World Cup campaign end at the Round of 16, as a terrible defensive mix-up and stoppage-time Hercules strike sent Fluminense through, with the woodwork rattled twice.

The Brazilians will now face either Manchester City or Simone Inzaghi’s Al-Hilal in the quarter-finals.

The Nerazzurri topped their group with a 1-1 draw against Monterrey and back-to-back wins over Urawa Reds and River Plate. Marcus Thuram made his first start, but Hakan Calhanoglu, Pio Esposito and Davide Frattesi were out of action. The Brazilians had beaten Ulsan HD 4-2, with 0-0 draws against Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns, fielding ex-Milan veteran Thiago Silva.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – JUNE 30: Rene #6 of Fluminense FC is challenged by Nicolo Barella #23 of FC Internazionale Milano during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between FC Internazionale Milano and Fluminense FC at Bank of America Stadium on June 30, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

It was a disastrous start, because in the third minute the defence and Yann Sommer were caught napping on a deflected Jhon Arias cross from the right, allowing German Cano to nod in undisturbed from six yards. The goalkeeper and his teammates evidently thought the other was going to cover it, with a lack of communication proving fatal.

Federico Dimarco came close to an equaliser when Henrikh Mkhitaryan laid off a long Nicolò Barella ball over the top, but his strike was well saved from close range, while Thuram’s volley went over from a tricky angle.

Fluminense threatened a second as Sommer meekly parried the Arias strike into the path of Samuel Xavier, who drilled the follow-up inches wide.

The Brazilians also had the ball in the net again on 39 minutes after another defensive mix-up, but Inter were saved by VAR confirming Gonzalo Ignacio was offside on the header from point-blank range.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – JUNE 30: Henrikh Mkhitaryan #22 of FC Internazionale Milano clashes with substitutes and Renato Portaluppi, Head Coach of Fluminense FC, on the Fluminense FC bench during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between FC Internazionale Milano and Fluminense FC at Bank of America Stadium on June 30, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Tensions flared with Kristjan Asllani and Alessandro Bastoni picking up yellow cards that would rule them out of the quarter-final, then Fluminense coach Renato Gaucho was booked for time-wasting that sparked an angry Henrikh Mkhitaryan response.

Sommer scrambled across for a fingertip save on the deflected Arias curler, but Stefan de Vrij missed an absolute sitter on 69 minutes when Lautaro Martinez nodded down the Sebastiano Esposito cross and the defender somehow prodded off target from five yards.

Dimarco’s free kick whistled inches wide of the near post and Lautaro Martinez didn’t get enough power on the finish to beat Fabio from 12 yards.

Inter were unlucky to see two huge Lautaro Martinez chances in 60 seconds, the first denied by a great reflex save from 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio on a Sebastiano Esposito pass, then moments later his low drive bounced off the inside of the upright.

Carlos Augusto ballooned over with his weaker right foot from a Valentin Carboni pull-back in stoppages.

Instead, Fluminense added a second when a throw-in was flicked on and the Inter defence was caught by surprise, allowing Hercules to place a snooker shot into the far bottom corner.

Inter were unlucky late on, Dimarco’s strike from the edge of the area bouncing off the top of the crossbar.

Inter 0-2 Fluminense

Cano 3 (F), Hercules 93 (F)