Jobe Bellingham’s debut for Borussia Dortmund ended in a goalless draw against the Brazilian club Fluminense. At the same time, Sergio Ramos’s header gave Monterrey the chance to cause an upset, but Lautaro Martinez’s equaliser earned the Serie A side a point in the FIFA Club World Cup fixture on Wednesday, June 18.
Dortmund struggled for the most part despite having a much better team overall. The Brazilian side were able to create their fair share of chances, as the Colombian forward Jhon Arias proved to be quite the menace in attack.
Fluminense had a golden opportunity to take the lead, with Agustin Canobbio failing to capitalise, as both sides lacked the finishing touch in front of goal.
Speaking of Bellingham, the Englishman-who had last featured in Sunderland’s win over Sheffield United in the Championship playoff final-had an uninspiring start to his career with the Black and Yellow.
Meanwhile, in the marquee fixture of the day between Monterrey and Inter at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, the legendary Spanish defender showcased his class on set pieces by scoring a beautiful header to give his side the early lead in the 25th minute.
The Italian side, despite going up against a low block, were unable to break through, as several shots from around the box failed to find the back of the net. But at the stroke of half-time, their ever-reliable striker Lautaro Martinez provided the equaliser in the 42nd minute, thanks to a well-executed set-piece routine with Carlos Augusto delivering the assist.
Despite Inter having most of the possession, the game ended up being a fairly dry contest, with just three shots on target from both teams combined. Most of these efforts came from outside the box as well, with the likes of Sergio Canales and Henrikh Mkhitaryan looking to take their chances.
In the end, it was a disappointing start for Cristian Chivu in his managerial stint with Inter, and the performances on display leave more questions than answers regarding the future of a squad that made it to the Champions League final.