Benfica battled it out with Boca Juniors in USA's FIFA Club World Cup
World Cup Match Ends in a Draw: Otamendi Scores a Last-Minute Equalizer for Benfica Against Boca Juniors
A thrilling 2-2 draw took place between Benfica and Argentine side Boca Juniors in their opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup, held in the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.
Starting off behind the eight ball, with the stadium favoring the Argentines over the Portuguese, Benfica displayed aggression from the get-go and narrowly missed scoring in the 6th minute thanks to Renato Sanches' powerful shot.
In a twist of events, the Argies managed to take the lead in the 21st minute, as Miguel Merentiel slipped between the center-backs and headed the ball into the opponents' net. The Argentines found their stride and scored again in the 27th minute, with Battaglia, a former Sporting player, heading the ball into the net for a commanding 2-0 lead.
Halftime Turnaround
The offensive danger of Bruno Lage's team contrasted with their defensive recklessness, struggling to find a way past the Boca Juniors defense until the 45th minute. A foul on Otamendi awarded Benfica a penalty, which Di María confidently converted to bring the scoreline back to 2-1.
Entering the second half, Lage made several substitutions, but the equalizer remained elusive until the 84th minute. Otamendi, capitalizing on a cross from Kokcu, managed to head the ball into the net near post to level the score.
Unpredictably, the referee issued two red cards during the game. First, Belotti of Benfica was sent off for a late challenge on Costa in the 71st minute, and then Figal of Boca received the second red card for a dangerous tackle on Florentino in the 88th minute.
Looking Ahead
Despite the setback, Benfica will face Bayern Munich and Auckland City in the group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup. Their next game against Auckland City is scheduled for next Friday, June 18.
Other notable matches in the tournament include:
- Fluminense vs. Borussia Dortmund: June 17, 12 p.m. ET, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
- River Plate vs. Urawa Red Diamonds: June 17, 3 p.m. ET, Lumen Field, Seattle
- Ulsan HD vs. Mamelodi Sundowns: June 17, 6 p.m. ET, Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando
- Monterrey vs. Inter: June 17, 9 p.m. ET, Rose Bowl, Pasadena
- Manchester City vs. Wydad AC: June 18, 12 p.m. ET, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicked off on June 14 and will conclude with the final on July 13 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, featuring 32 top clubs from around the world and progressing through a group stage (June 14-26) and a subsequent knockout stage including the Round of 16 (June 28-July 1), Quarterfinals (July 4-5), Semifinals (July 8-9), and the Final [2][4].
In the upcoming group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup, Benfica will face European rivals Manchester City and Auckland City, with their match against Auckland City scheduled for next Friday, June 18.
Meanwhile, other enthralling matches to watch in this tournament include Fluminense against Borussia Dortmund, River Plate versus Urawa Red Diamonds, Ulsan Hyundai against Mamelodi Sundowns, Monterrey versus Inter Milan, and Manchester City versus Wydad AC.
