Valentin Carboni delivered a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Inter Milan rallied from behind to beat Urawa Red Diamonds 2-1 on Saturday, knocking the Japanese side out of the Club World Cup.
Urawa took an early lead through Ryoma Watanabe, capitalizing on a strong run and cross from Takuro Kaneko in the 11th minute. The Reds, energized by a vocal contingent of supporters at Seattle’s Lumen Field, looked set to hold their advantage.
However, Inter’s captain Lautaro Martinez, who had already scored in their 1-1 draw against Monterrey in the tournament opener, struck again to level the score in the 78th minute. Martinez showcased his flair with an audacious overhead kick, deftly turning in a Nicolo Barella corner.
The 20-year-old Argentine Carboni, returning to competitive action for the first time since October after a serious knee injury while on loan at Marseille, emerged as the hero in the 92nd minute. He calmly sidefooted the ball home after a shot from Petar Sucic deflected off teammate Francesco Esposito, securing a thrilling victory for Inter.
“Our opponents play with their hearts, so as a team, we must respond with pride, humility, and resilience,” Martinez told broadcaster DAZN after a hard-fought win.
The result puts Cristian Chivu’s Inter squad in a strong position to advance to the last 16, while a second consecutive defeat eliminates Urawa Reds from the competition.
“Our emotions are very low after this loss. We’re out of the tournament, but we’ll fight for our only remaining goal: to win the last game,” said Urawa’s Polish coach Maciej Skorza.
Despite their hopes to rebound from a 3-1 opening loss to River Plate, Urawa’s early promise faded as Inter’s experience and determination ultimately prevailed.
