Sergio Ramos, the Spanish defender opened the scoring for Rayados with a trademark header, while Lautaro Martínez equalized for the Champions League runners-up
Monterrey earned a surprising and valuable 1-1 draw against Champions League runners-up Inter – a result that will surely please new manager Domènec Torrent, as it came against the toughest opponent in their Club World Cup group. Despite River Plate’s 3-1 win over Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey emerged as Group E’s big winners on Tuesday.
The scoreboard changed in the 25th minute with a classic goal from Sergio Ramos – a powerful header, his trademark move. Ramos rose above Francesco Acerbi in the box to put Rayados ahead 1-0, delivering a shock lead at the Rose Bowl. It was his fourth goal in Club World Cup competition, the previous three having been scored during his time with Real Madrid.
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Our intention was to play them on equal terms,” Ramos told reporters after the match. “Maybe in the first half we struggled a bit more with losing possession due to some nerves, but in the second half we were able to build up more and keep the ball better. We also managed to create chances a bit more easily.”
In the 42nd minute, Inter leveled the score with a beautifully worked play that looked straight out of a sportsbook’s script. Lautaro Martínez made it 1-1 for the Italian side.
In the second half, Sergio Canales nearly restored Rayados’ lead with a thunderous shot that crashed against Jan Sommer’s left post – the Inter goalkeeper could only watch as the ball bounced away. Then, in the 67th minute, Martínez had a goal disallowed for offside.
From there, the game tilted heavily in favor of Christian Chivu’s team, who went all-out in attack in search of the win in another managerial debut. Monterrey held firm, though both teams were clearly worn down by the intense heat in Los Angeles.
We had a good first half, despite being behind,” Chivu told reporters, reflecting on his team’s performance. “In the second half, we were slower. We lacked a bit of grit in front of goal. The boys gave it their all. We have to keep finding more and more solutions and be ready for the upcoming matches.”
Ramos, a four-time winner in this tournament with Real Madrid, praised his team’s effort and the fact it still managed to create a few late chances despite being largely outplayed by Inter in all areas of the field.
“When you don’t win and don’t get the three points, obviously, you don’t go home happy and feeling 100 percent,” Ramos said. “It’s true that it was a match against a very tough opponent, a Champions League finalist. We knew how difficult it would be and the physical effort it would require.”
