Inter Milan secured a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds in a Group E clash at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from 20-year-old Argentine forward, Valentin Carboni.
Urawa Reds stunned the Italians with an early goal in the 11th minute, as Ryoma Watanabe capitalised on a fine run and low cross from Takuro Kaneko to slot home the opener.
Backed by a vocal fanbase at Lumen Field in Seattle, the Asian champions looked poised to upset the European giants.
Inter Milan, however, gradually regained control, with captain Lautaro Martinez rattling the crossbar in the first half. Despite sustained pressure, Henrikh Mkhitaryan missed a clear opportunity in the second half, keeping the scoreline in Urawa’s favour.
The breakthrough came in the 78th minute when Martinez levelled the score with a spectacular overhead kick, converting from a Nicolo Barella corner. It was the Argentine’s second goal of the tournament, having also scored in Inter’s earlier 1-1 draw against Monterrey.
The defining moment came in stoppage time. A deflected shot from Petar Sucic ricocheted off teammate Francesco Esposito and fell kindly to Carboni, who calmly side-footed the ball into the net to seal the victory.
The goal marked a memorable return for Carboni, who had been sidelined since October due to a serious knee injury sustained during a loan spell at Marseille.
The result puts Cristian Chivu’s side in a strong position to qualify for the round of 16, while Urawa Reds exit the tournament after suffering back-to-back defeats, having previously lost 3-1 to River Plate.
Inter Milan, last season’s UEFA Champions League runners-up, will now look to build on this momentum in their final group fixture.
