Club America Stun Italian Champions Inter In World Football Challenge

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Inter (Grazia Neri)

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• America
• Inter Milan

Club America and Inter kicked off the 2009 World Football Challenge with an entertaining match in front of a strong crowd of over 30,000 fans. The score after 90 minutes was deadlocked at 1-1, meaning that penalties were required to separate the two sides.

The intense shoot-out ended in favour of the Mexican club 5-4, meaning an extremely strong Nerazzurri line-up suffered yet another shock result, after their 2-2 draw with UCLA a few days prior.

The Italians were the stronger side in the early stages, especially through Sulley Muntari, who was keen to continue his impressive form this pre-season. It was he who, after just two minutes of play, was responsible for sending in the perfect cross for the new signing Diego Miltio, but the Argentine put his effort just wide.

Ricardo Quaresma and Dejan Stankovic were causing havoc in the middle, whilst another new signing in Thiago Motta went close with a powerful drive from 30 yards on the half-hour mark.

From this point, the Mexicans worked themselves into the contest, as they struck the woodwork twice in the next ten minutes. However, they too failed to take full advantage of their good spell, and the half ended 0-0.

Jose Mourinho made a number of changes prior to the commencement of the second period, with Patrick Vieira and Nicolas Burdisso amongst those who came on in the early stages of the half. However, Club America took a shock lead on 51 minutes when Pardo’s corner was met by Silva, who smashed his left-foot drive coolly into the back of the net.

Inter did all they could to immediately respond, as Mario Balotelli’s shot from distance just moments later, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s inclusion, clearly signified their intentions to win the game. This switch eventually paid off, as on 60 minutes Ivan Cordoba levelled the scores with a header from a Balotelli corner that was won by a determined Ibrahimovic.

America had a player sent off in the closing stages, as Esqueda was dismissed following some rough and late contact on the opposing 'keeper, Belec, whilst the referee’s whistle after 90 minutes meant that penalties were required to decide the result.

The shoot-out started positively for both sides, as the first six penalties were successfully converted by all of those who stepped up to take a shot. The seventh, taken by Vieira, was smashed over the crossbar, which allowed Rojas to send home the winning kick from the spot to give Club America a memorable victory.

Line-ups

Inter: Bélec; Santon, Cordoba, Materazzi, Chivu; Motta, Cambiasso, Muntari; Stankovic, Quaresma; Milito.

Club America: Navarrete; Rojas, Mosquera, Lopez, Sanchez, Reyna; Beausejour, Pardo, Martinez; Esqeda, Cabanas.

Goals

51’ Silva (Club America)
60’ Cordoba (Inter)

Penalties

Inter:

Balotelli (scored)
Milito (scored)
Ibrahimovic (scored)
Vieira (miss)
Burdisso (scored)

Club America:

Chita (scored)
Mosquera (scored)
Silva (scored)
Marquez (scored)
Rojas (scored)

Adrian Del Monte, Goal.com