Kane helps Bayern restore a little European pride with win over Boca
Bayern Munich reignited the flickering flame of European honour at the Club World Cup, battling through a tense, fiery showdown to claim a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Boca Juniors and storm into the last 16 on Friday.
Backed by a roaring sea of blue-and-yellow clad fans who turned the Hard Rock Stadium into a noisy outpost of their "Bombonera", Boca Juniors fought fiercely, but Bayern's resilience shone through in the closing stages.
After Harry Kane gave the German champions an early lead, Boca equalised through Miguel Merentiel, only for Michael Olise to score a late winner that lifted Bayern to the top of Group C on six points, two ahead of Benfica.
Boca, on one point, remain in contention as they face amateurs Auckland City in the last round of matches while Bayern will take on Benfica.
The win marked a welcome rebound for European sides, who have faced a tough run at the tournament with Porto, Paris St Germain and Chelsea all suffering recent defeats.
In a thrilling second half, Boca made Bayern fight for every ball in a match brimming with tension and bite
In a thunderous atmosphere, the German side made a bright start and thought they had taken the lead when Olise's in-swinging corner flew directly into the net, only for VAR to spot a foul on Boca's goalkeeper.
The pressure eventually told in the 18th minute when Harry Kane latched onto a loose clearance and toe-poked a composed finish into the bottom corner after Konrad Laimer's cross from the right for his first goal in the tournament after drawing a blank in his team's 10-0 demolition of Auckland City.
Serge Gnabry scrambled the ball across the face of goal minutes later, but Kingsley Coman somehow failed to connect with what would have been a simple tap-in.
Manuel Neuer had little to do in the first half, though he was called into action to make two smart saves from Kevin Zenon as Boca refused to back down.
The Argentine side pressed higher after the break, showing typical grit and tenacity in the duels and slightly unsettling Bayern with their relentless aggression.
Spurred on by deafening chants from their travelling support, Boca clawed their way back into the contest, forcing several anxious moments in the German defence as tempers flared and challenges flew in.
In the 66th minute, Olise was harassed off the ball by three Boca players and Merentiel was fed in down the right and kept his composure to skip past Josip Stanisic before firing a shot past Neuer, sending the crowd into rapture as the whole stadium trembled.
Bayern's composure eventually told as Olise bent one into the bottom corner after being set up by Kane six minutes from time.
Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Fears for 2026 World Cup as extreme weather threatens game delays, ruining the football and forcing fans to leave early
FEARS are growing over the 2026 World Cup as extreme weather wreaks havoc. Four Club World Cup matches have been hit by delays within the first five days of the tournament being played across the United States. 11 Extreme weather has disrupted the opening week of the Club World Cup Credit: AP 11 There are fears the thunderstorms and heat could be repeated during the 2026 World Cup Credit: Reuters 11 Fans have repeatedly been ushered out of the stands Credit: Getty And with a heatwave including temperatures as high as 41C set to hit next week, further problems are expected - with fans and players alike at risk. Now there is an increasing concern about the impact it could have on next summer's World Cup - hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. CLUB WORLD CUP CHAOS So far at the Club World Cup, the matches have been delayed due to thunderstorms. Mamelodi Sundowns vs Ulsan HD was the first fixture to be impacted with kick-off delayed by more than an hour. READ MORE FOOTBALL Then the Both Benfica vs Auckland and Mamelodi vs Ulsan were in Orlando. Most read in Football And although no World Cup matches are being staged in the city, there are seven scheduled for Miami - three hours' drive south in Florida. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS That may well include some England games as Miami is in the eastern region for the 2026 event. Similarly, Cincinnati is not on the list of host cities for next summer - but surrounding places such as Kansas City, Atlanta and Toronto are. Club World Cup clash takes over three hours to complete due to poor weather conditions at the TQL Stadium And New Jersey, the Again, like Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, the MetLife Stadium is within the eastern region England are set to be part of - along with nearby Boston and Philadelphia. Crucially, the Due to the time difference, to make sure European fans get to watch their teams play, many of their matches will be scheduled at lunchtime and in the afternoons - the hottest parts of the day. IMPACT ON PLAYERS... Of course, the extreme weather - both heat and storms - is leaving many players and referees at risk of heat stroke, exhaustion, dehydration plus other health issues and injuries. Atletico Madrid star Marcos Llorente said it was "terribly hot" when his side lost 4-0 to PSG in Los Angeles when it was 32C. By next week, players could be forced to take to the field in temperatures 9C hotter. Environmental physiologist and heat stress in sport expert at the University of Roehampton Dr Chris Tyler told the "Such conditions will be commonplace with many of the fixtures scheduled for before 5pm to maximise TV audiences. "Extreme heat could become the tournament's most formidable opponent." 11 Many players pour water on their faces to cool down Credit: Reuters 11 Crazy storms and rain have forced four matches to be delayed Credit: Getty 11 A heatwave with temperatures of 41C is on the way Credit: Reuters 11 Spectators are at risk of falling ill by sitting in direct heat Credit: Getty Fossil Free Football - a campaign group highlighting the impact of the climate crisis on the beautiful game - added: "Particular concern is for the fixtures in the no-shade stadium in Charlotte where a heat index of 38C (Real Madrid v Pachuca) and 41C (Benfica v Bayern) is forecast for the next two matches. "This underlines the dangers facing players and fans at this tournament and in 2026. Fifa have done very little to allay safety concerns." Maresca said: "It's not easy because of the temperature. We're going to try to rotate players." ...AND ON FANS... It is not just those on the pitch at risk, either. Fans being in stadiums when torrential rain falls or the sun is beating down could also find themselves in difficulty. Reports claim spectators at the Club World Cup have been forced to leave the stands during matches due to the heat. They also found long queues and restricted water availability at stadiums - even despite shoddy, low attendances. Sporting events are seemingly seeing play stopped to tend to fans taken ill in the crowd - with many of those due to heat-related incidents. This week at Queen's, ...AND ON BROADCASTERS The TV companies from around the globe have But matches at risk of being delayed could be a nightmare for broadcast executives - and fans trying to watch the action at home. That is because if a match has to be stopped for a lengthy period, it might not finish in time before the next match kicks off due to the frantic schedule. Exact kick-off times are yet to be confirmed but at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, there were at times four matches per day kicking off every three hours at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm UK time. But at the Club World Cup, the reality was laid bare. Club World Cup 2025 Guide SOME of the world's biggest clubs are in action at this summer's Club World Cup in the United States! Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Man City, and Inter Miami are among the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 13. The likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane are showcasing their skills to packed crowds across the US. INFO Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup LATEST NEWS & FEATURES Club World Cup top scorers The Benfica vs Auckland game was due to finish an hour before Chelsea vs Flamengo kicked off. However, not only did the two matches overlap but the long stoppage meant the full-time whistle ended up blowing AFTER Benfica gaffer Bruno Lage said: "This is the longest game of my career. "A special thanks to our fans, who have been here for five hours supporting the team. "We played as well as we could. The temperature made it very difficult." FIFA'S RESPONSE So, what have Fifa said and done in response? Well, they released a brief statement in which they claimed health is their "top priority" and medical experts have been providing guidance. The world football governing body said: "Fifa's top priority is the health of everyone involved in football, and Fifa's medical experts have been in regular contact with the clubs participating to address heat management and acclimatisation." Fifa confirmed that a drinks break to give players the chance to take on fluids and cool down will take place at 30 minutes and 75 minutes if needed. They added fans will also be permitted to bring an empty clear water bottle up to one litre into stadiums. But while that is a helpful step for fans to be able to drink water a little easier, it is hardly going to make a major difference if fans are sat in unsheltered stands in the relentless driving rain with thunder and lightning or if temperatures reach dangerous levels in excess of 35C or even 40C. 11 PSG players did their best to try and cool down Credit: Reuters 11 Benfica fans supported their team for five hours Credit: Getty 11 Drinks breaks are permitted in each half when temperatures soar Credit: Reuters 11 Players and referees are at risk Credit: Reuters
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
‘I'm crazy… I'll beat the s*** out of you' – Heated moment furious Inter star Acerbi threatens to fight PSG fan
INTER MILAN star Francesco Acerbi threatened to fight a Paris Saint-Germain fan during a meet and greet in the US. The Italian veteran, 37, is in Seattle with the Serie A giants for the Club World Cup. 3 Francesco Acerbi got angry during a meet and greet in the US Credit: X 3 Bradley Barcola sent Acerbi to the ground during the Champions League final During a fan meet and greet, Acerbi was cheekily reminded of the moment Speaking via a translator, the centre-back was fuming with the supporter. The translator sternly warned the fan: "You must be serious with him." Acerbi then let rip in Italian, blasting: "I'm serious. Don't make fun of me - I don't like it… I'm crazy, I'll beat the s*** out of you." READ MORE IN FOOTBALL The Inter are looking to bounce back quickly from their Champions League mauling as they compete in the Club World Cup. The Italian giants are playing under new manager Cristian Chivu, with Simone Inzaghi having Most read in Football Inter drew their opener 1-1 vs Monterrey, with Acerbi playing the full 90 minutes. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 3 Acerbi was back in action in the Club World Cup earlier this week Credit: Getty The defender was playing in his first match since the Champions League final, having turned down an Italy call-up. Acerbi missed games against Norway and Moldova, as he felt "disrespected" by boss Luciano Spalletti, who has since resigned. The 34-cap star wrote on Instagram: "It's not a decision I have taken lightly. However, I believe that in light of recent events the conditions aren't there today for me to go forward with serenity. "I demand respect. If that respect is lacking from those who should lead the group, I prefer to step aside. "I won't stay where I'm no longer truly wanted and it's clear I'm not part of the coach's project." Spalletti subsequently resigned following an awful 3-0 defeat in Norway, with Gennaro Gattuso taking over. Inter return to action this evening, as they face Japanese side Urawa Reds in Seattle. They will then conclude their group stage campaign by taking on Club World Cup 2025 Guide SOME of the world's biggest clubs are in action at this summer's Club World Cup in the United States! Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Man City, and Inter Miami are among the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 13. The likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane are showcasing their skills to packed crowds across the US. INFO Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup LATEST NEWS & FEATURES Club World Cup top scorers
Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Kane helps Bayern restore a little European pride with win over Boca
Bayern Munich reignited the flickering flame of European honour at the Club World Cup, battling through a tense, fiery showdown to claim a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Boca Juniors and storm into the last 16 on Friday. Backed by a roaring sea of blue-and-yellow clad fans who turned the Hard Rock Stadium into a noisy outpost of their "Bombonera", Boca Juniors fought fiercely, but Bayern's resilience shone through in the closing stages. After Harry Kane gave the German champions an early lead, Boca equalised through Miguel Merentiel, only for Michael Olise to score a late winner that lifted Bayern to the top of Group C on six points, two ahead of Benfica. Boca, on one point, remain in contention as they face amateurs Auckland City in the last round of matches while Bayern will take on Benfica. The win marked a welcome rebound for European sides, who have faced a tough run at the tournament with Porto, Paris St Germain and Chelsea all suffering recent defeats. In a thrilling second half, Boca made Bayern fight for every ball in a match brimming with tension and bite In a thunderous atmosphere, the German side made a bright start and thought they had taken the lead when Olise's in-swinging corner flew directly into the net, only for VAR to spot a foul on Boca's goalkeeper. The pressure eventually told in the 18th minute when Harry Kane latched onto a loose clearance and toe-poked a composed finish into the bottom corner after Konrad Laimer's cross from the right for his first goal in the tournament after drawing a blank in his team's 10-0 demolition of Auckland City. Serge Gnabry scrambled the ball across the face of goal minutes later, but Kingsley Coman somehow failed to connect with what would have been a simple tap-in. Manuel Neuer had little to do in the first half, though he was called into action to make two smart saves from Kevin Zenon as Boca refused to back down. The Argentine side pressed higher after the break, showing typical grit and tenacity in the duels and slightly unsettling Bayern with their relentless aggression. Spurred on by deafening chants from their travelling support, Boca clawed their way back into the contest, forcing several anxious moments in the German defence as tempers flared and challenges flew in. In the 66th minute, Olise was harassed off the ball by three Boca players and Merentiel was fed in down the right and kept his composure to skip past Josip Stanisic before firing a shot past Neuer, sending the crowd into rapture as the whole stadium trembled. Bayern's composure eventually told as Olise bent one into the bottom corner after being set up by Kane six minutes from time. Reuters
