2025 Club World Cup Update: Boca Juniors, Benfica Thrill Fans

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup delivered high drama on Monday night as Boca Juniors and Benfica played out a fiery 2–2 draw in Miami, turning what looked like a routine group fixture into a headline-grabbing spectacle.

Boca came out flying, backed by an electric South American crowd, and quickly stamped their authority.

Miguel Merentiel fired the Argentinians into the lead before Esteban Rolón Battaglia added a second with a low drive that left Benfica scrambling.

At 2–0, it looked like a rout was in motion but the Portuguese giants responded with resilience and fire of their own.

A crucial turning point came after a VAR review awarded Benfica a penalty midway through the second half.

Ángel Di María, calm as ever, slotted it home against his former domestic rivals, reigniting Benfica’s hopes.

Then, in the dying minutes, veteran defender Nicolás Otamendi rose above Boca’s backline to head in the equalizer, sparking wild celebrations from the Benfica bench.

But the game wasn’t just about goals it was also marred by chaos, with three red cards issued in a heated contest that saw over 20 fouls.

The draw leaves both teams with everything to play for as the group stage heats up, and it served as a clear reminder that in this new, expanded tournament format, no game is safe until the final whistle.

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Chelsea kicked off their Club World Cup campaign with a composed and professional 2–0 victory over Los Angeles FC.

The Premier League side dominated possession and looked sharp throughout, with Pedro Neto scoring the opener in the 34th minute after a slick team move. Enzo Fernández added the second late on, converting from close range after a well-timed assist by Liam Delap. Chelsea’s controlled display underlined their ambitions for the title and with this win, they now look well-positioned to top Group D.

Over in Philadelphia, Flamengo also made a confident start to their tournament, defeating ES Tunis 2–0 to match Chelsea’s early momentum in Group D. Giorgian de Arrascaeta opened the scoring in the 17th minute after a flowing move, while Luiz Araújo sealed the result just past the hour mark with a sharp finish from Jorginho’s assist.

The Brazilian side dominated possession, limited the Tunisians to only a handful of chances, and enjoyed strong support from nearly 26,000 fans in the stands. With both Chelsea and Flamengo now level on points, their upcoming clash is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated encounters of the group stage.


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