BOTAFOGO stunned UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the early hours of today in each club’s second match of the FIFA Club World Cup.
Igor Jesus scored late in the first half, and the South American champions survived a tense second half while moving atop the group on six points.
PSG had not lost in any competition since May 3, but the European champions looked understandably weary at times before a lively Rose Bowl crowd of 53,699.
Jesus’ stunning score in the 36th minute was the first goal conceded by PSG since May 17, which routed Atlético Madrid 4-0 last Sunday in Pasadena.
The French powerhouses had outscored their last three opponents by a combined 12-0, winning the French Cup and the Champions League final along the way.
The Brazilians became the first team to stop PSG scoring since March when Liverpool defeated them 1-0 in the Champions League. The French side had scored in 19 consecutive games until losing today.
Also in the Club World Cup on Thursday night, Lionel Messi scored his 50th goal for Inter Miami as they came from behind to beat Porto for their first win in the competition.
Porto took the lead after just eight minutes when Samu Aghehowa, the Spanish international with Nigerian heritage, squeezed a penalty under the arm of goalkeeper Oscar Ustari.
Martin Anselmi’s side could have been further clear by half-time but Francesco Moura saw a shot cleared off the line and Alan Varela struck ....
Telasco Segovia sparked the Inter Miami comeback when powering Marcelo Weigandt’s cut-back into the top corner.
Messi then sealed the MLS franchise’s maiden victory in the competition with a trademark free-kick over the wall and out of reach for a sprawling Claudio Ramos.
The 37-year-old fired wide from a set-piece further out just a few moments prior but, when presented with another opportunity centrally and from the edge of the D, he executed perfectly to score his 68th goal from a direct free-kick.
Meanwhile, Palmeiras beat Egypt’s Al Ahly at the Club World Cup after play was suspended for around 40 minutes in the second half because of “severe weather” on Thursday.
Referee Anthony Taylor halted the game in the 62nd-minute as dark clouds appeared over the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Players required a cooling break midway through the first-half with temperatures reaching 31C, but the heat also threatened to bring a lightning storm and Taylor was told to take the players off the field.
A message on the screen inside the stadium told supporters to “leave the Seating Bowl area and take shelter inside the stadium because of severe weather in the area.”
The Brazilian club broke the deadlock shortly after half-time when Al Ahly defender Achraf Dari headed a free-kick into his own net.
That was the first goal scored by any team in Group A following a combined 257 minutes of action.
Palmeiras did not have to wait long to grab a second with substitute Jose Lopez doubling their advantage 10 minutes later.
Lopez had missed a golden opportunity just two minutes after his introduction at half-time, but showed strength and composure to wrap up a counter-attack.
Both goals came after Palmeiras were handed a reprieve by the video assistant referee after midfielder Raphael Veiga had a red card overturned.
Veiga, who scored in a 2-0 win during their last meeting with Al Ahly at the Club World Cup in 2022, was shown a straight red when referee Taylor deemed his challenge on Zizo was high and reckless.
However, the Premier League referee was told to review the incident on the pitchside monitor and subsequently reduced the punishment to a yellow card.
RESULTS
Palmeiras 2-0 Al Ahly
Al-Ain 0-5 Juventus
Seattle Sounders 1-3 Atletico Madrid
Inter Miami 2-1 FC Porto
Botafogo 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain