European champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) suffered a shock 1-0 Club World Cup defeat to Brazilian side Botafogo on Thursday after Lionel Messi lit up the tournament with a brilliant free-kick winner for Inter Miami.
Atletico Madrid and Palmeiras also won as the second round of group matches began, but it was Botafogo who stole the headlines.
A first-half goal from Igor Jesus proved the difference as last year’s Copa Libertadores winners all but sealed a place in the knockout rounds from Group B in front of 53,699 fans at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California.
PSG are one of the favourites for FIFA’s 32-team tournament after a dazzling season which culminated with a scintillating 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
Transfer: Nico Williams agrees terms with Barcelona as Arsenal set to lose Partey for free
But their hopes of securing a victory which would have seen them become the first side into the last 16 were stymied by a resilient performance from their opponents from Rio de Janeiro.
Messi scored a trademark free-kick to secure a 2-1 comeback win for Inter Miami against Porto in Atlanta in Group A.
The Argentine superstar found the top corner with a set-piece nine minutes after half time to clinch a surprise victory for the MLS side and give them a strong chance of progressing.
A draw between Inter Miami and Palmeiras on Monday will send both teams into the last 16.
Atletico also bounced back from a 4-0 loss to PSG as Diego Simeone’s side beat Seattle Sounders 3-1.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it will arraign former Attorney-General of the…
Power has been fully restored across Nigeria after the country’s electricity grid experienced a partial…
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and…
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed that seven journalists in Gombe State died…
The Ogun and Lagos State governments have commiserated with British-Nigerian boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, over…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep sympathy to AJ following the fatal accident that…
This website uses cookies.