The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup continued to deliver drama and excitement as Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund both secured their first wins of the tournament on Saturday. While Inter battled past Urawa Red Diamonds with a last-gasp winner, Dortmund overcame Mamelodi Sundowns in a seven-goal thriller under challenging conditions in the United States.
Inter Milan Leave It Late Against Urawa Red Diamonds
At Lumen Field in Seattle, Inter Milan came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds, eliminating the J-League side from the competition. Urawa took a shock lead early on through Ryoma Watanabe, sparking wild celebrations among their passionate travelling supporters.
However, Inter captain Lautaro Martinez once again proved to be the hero, leveling the score with a spectacular overhead kick just 12 minutes from time. Martinez, who also netted in Inter’s 1-1 draw with Monterrey earlier in the tournament, emphasized the team’s determination after the match:
“Our opponents play with their hearts and to counter that as a team we need to play with more pride, be humble and know how to suffer,” Martinez told DAZN.
The decisive moment came in injury time when young Argentine forward Valentin Carboni, making his first competitive appearance for Inter in over two years, calmly side-footed home the winner. Carboni had been sidelined since October due to a serious knee injury but seized his moment to write a fairytale comeback.
The win puts Inter provisionally top of Group E with four points, ahead of Argentina’s River Plate who faced Monterrey later that evening in Pasadena.
Heartbreak for Urawa Red Diamonds
The narrow defeat confirmed Urawa’s elimination from the competition after suffering back-to-back losses. Their head coach, Maciej Skorza, expressed the pain of the result: “Our emotion is very bad after this game. We are out of the tournament so now we can only fight in the last game to achieve our one and only win.”
Borussia Dortmund Edge Sundowns in Seven-Goal Thriller
In Cincinnati, Borussia Dortmund defeated South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns 4-3 in a pulsating encounter that tested both teams physically in sweltering heat. Dortmund’s new signing Jobe Bellingham, younger brother of Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, scored his first goal for the German giants on his first start since joining from Sunderland.
Lucas Ribeiro opened the scoring for Sundowns with a brilliant solo effort, but goalkeeper Ronwen Williams gifted Dortmund their equaliser, passing the ball straight to Felix Nmecha for a simple finish.
Serhou Guirassy continued his remarkable form with his 35th goal of the season to give Dortmund a 2-1 lead before Bellingham made it 3-1 just before halftime.
An own goal from Khuliso Mudau extended Dortmund’s lead to 4-1, but Sundowns refused to give up, pulling two goals back through Iqraam Rayners and Lebo Mothiba to ensure a tense finale.
Niko Kovac Praises Both Teams After Intense Contest
Dortmund manager Niko Kovac admitted the extreme midday heat affected his side’s performance: “I’m sweating like I’ve just come out of a sauna. It was tough going for both teams, but the opposition are used to it. We certainly didn’t give our best performance, but that wasn’t possible today.”
Despite the defeat, Sundowns remain mathematically alive in Group F and can still reach the knockout stage with a win in their final group match.
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso praised his team’s effort: “The boys made a wonderful performance. It was a hell of a match. I’m not happy but very proud.”
Other Group F Action
Elsewhere in Group F, Brazilian champions Fluminense faced South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford later in the day, with the group still wide open heading into the final round of matches.
For full Club World Cup 2025 schedules, fixtures, and standings, visit our dedicated page: Full Club World Cup 2025 Schedule and Updates.
Conclusion: Drama Building Ahead of Knockouts
The 2025 Club World Cup continues to deliver high drama as European powerhouses Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund both secured crucial victories. With knockout qualification still up for grabs across multiple groups, fans can expect plenty more excitement as the tournament progresses toward the business end.