New coach Chivu hails Inter's adaptability after River win
SEATTLE, Washington :Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu has praised the adaptability and commitment of his team after they beat River Plate 2-0 in an intense group match to reach the last 16 of the Club World Cup on Wednesday.
Francesco Esposito and Alessandro Bastoni scored the goals in the last quarter of the game to book the 20-times Italian champions a date with Brazilian club Fluminense in Charlotte on Monday.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT:
Chivu took charge of the squad for the first time at the Club World Cup, having replaced Simone Inzaghi on a two-year contract in early June.
Inzaghi departed by mutual consent after a crushing 5-0 loss to Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League final left Inter without a trophy for the first season since 2019-2020.
River put Inter under heavy pressure at the start of Wednesday's game and Chivu was delighted at the character his players showed to come through such a test and get the job done.
KEY QUOTES:
Cristian Chivu: "The match was played with lots of character and willingness to win, to reach our goal, even though during the first half we were a bit surprised by their intensity, aggression and pressure ...
"Maybe the players were not so prepared at first, but then in the second half, we raised the level of intensity ... because we are strong, we're competent, we have players that can play such a game.
"I can say that the game was great from every point of view, because we understood the moment that we understood the game."
Cristian Chivu: "They always try to add something more at every training session because this can be useful during the game.
"They give their utmost, and even those five or six players who have injuries, they're working hard to support the team. I'm happy about that, because I see a great mindset. I see so much desire to play well."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Scorching Club World Cup raises concerns for 2026
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group F - Mamelodi Sundowns v Borussia Dortmund - TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. - June 21, 2025 General view of the big screen during a break in play REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File Photo FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group C - Benfica v Bayern Munich - Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. - June 24, 2025 Benfica's Andreas Schjelderup pours water on his face to cool down during a break in play REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File Photo NEW YORK - Soaring temperatures at this year's Club World Cup have raised concerns over afternoon kickoff times at the 2026 World Cup, as the expanded tournament poses logistical challenges for organisers. A heatwave across the United States saw Borussia Dortmund players face South Korea's Ulsan in Cincinnati on Wednesday, with temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2°C) with the kickoff at 3 p.m. local time. Players took advantage of FIFA's once-per-half cooling breaks at games this week while Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca told reporters it was "impossible" to organise regular training sessions in the afternoons in sweltering Philadelphia. Global players' union FIFPRO said the conditions should "serve as a wake-up call". "As climate change is making extreme weather conditions, including dangerous heat, an increasingly urgent issue for everyone in the football industry, the risk posed by kickoffs in very high temperatures is real and growing," a FIFPRO spokesperson told Reuters. FIFPRO urged global soccer bodies to re-evaluate kickoff times to better address heat conditions, while praising organisers like FIFA for their flexibility in adding cooling breaks to games. "We believe there is still a lot more that should be done to prioritise player health and safety," said FIFPRO. "Current protocols and laws of the game require urgent revision - this is a challenge the entire football industry must take on together." FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Match times for the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, have yet to be announced, but organisers may face challenges if sweltering conditions return. Heat issues would come as no surprise to those who were at the tournament in 1994, the last time the United States played host. "The cacophony of complaints echoing across the land could drown out the cheers at the nine stadiums where they are showcasing international soccer's quadrennial event," the Los Angeles Times wrote a week into that tournament, as high temperatures had fans steaming. More than 90,000 fans piled in to watch the final in Pasadena, where temperatures reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8°C). It was the last time that a World Cup final was played entirely in daylight. 'IT'S COMPLICATED' With the tournament expanding from 32 to 48 teams, afternoon kickoffs may be unavoidable to meet scheduling demands and accommodate lucrative European broadcast markets. "The big broadcasters are investing a ton of money, so they're not super interested in having the schedule changed to accommodate heat if it means that they're not going to make as much ad revenue," said Madeleine Orr, an author and sports ecologist. Host cities at the highest heat risk in 2026 - including Miami, Monterrey, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Boston and New York - should avoid kickoff times in the hottest afternoon hours, Orr said in a study she co-authored earlier this year. Orr said pushing more afternoon games to one of the tournament's four indoor venues in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Vancouver could be part of the solution. "You need your broadcasters to be happy," said Orr. "If we're talking about safety first, it's not complicated at all. If we're talking about hosting a major event and making it financially feasible and seeing this event happen at all, it's complicated." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
4 hours ago
- CNA
Scorching Club World Cup raises concerns for 2026
NEW YORK :Soaring temperatures at this year's Club World Cup have raised concerns over afternoon kickoff times at the 2026 World Cup, as the expanded tournament poses logistical challenges for organisers. A heatwave across the United States saw Borussia Dortmund players face South Korea's Ulsan in Cincinnati on Wednesday, with temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2°C) with the kickoff at 3 p.m. local time. Players took advantage of FIFA's once-per-half cooling breaks at games this week while Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca told reporters it was "impossible" to organise regular training sessions in the afternoons in sweltering Philadelphia. Global players' union FIFPRO said the conditions should "serve as a wake-up call". "As climate change is making extreme weather conditions, including dangerous heat, an increasingly urgent issue for everyone in the football industry, the risk posed by kickoffs in very high temperatures is real and growing," a FIFPRO spokesperson told Reuters. FIFPRO urged global soccer bodies to re-evaluate kickoff times to better address heat conditions, while praising organisers like FIFA for their flexibility in adding cooling breaks to games. "We believe there is still a lot more that should be done to prioritise player health and safety," said FIFPRO. "Current protocols and laws of the game require urgent revision - this is a challenge the entire football industry must take on together." FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Match times for the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, have yet to be announced, but organisers may face challenges if sweltering conditions return. Heat issues would come as no surprise to those who were at the tournament in 1994, the last time the United States played host. "The cacophony of complaints echoing across the land could drown out the cheers at the nine stadiums where they are showcasing international soccer's quadrennial event," the Los Angeles Times wrote a week into that tournament, as high temperatures had fans steaming. More than 90,000 fans piled in to watch the final in Pasadena, where temperatures reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8°C). It was the last time that a World Cup final was played entirely in daylight. 'IT'S COMPLICATED' With the tournament expanding from 32 to 48 teams, afternoon kickoffs may be unavoidable to meet scheduling demands and accommodate lucrative European broadcast markets. "The big broadcasters are investing a ton of money, so they're not super interested in having the schedule changed to accommodate heat if it means that they're not going to make as much ad revenue," said Madeleine Orr, an author and sports ecologist. Host cities at the highest heat risk in 2026 - including Miami, Monterrey, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Boston and New York - should avoid kickoff times in the hottest afternoon hours, Orr said in a study she co-authored earlier this year. Orr said pushing more afternoon games to one of the tournament's four indoor venues in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Vancouver could be part of the solution. "You need your broadcasters to be happy," said Orr.
CNA
9 hours ago
- CNA
Reigning MVP Lionel Messi joined by four Whitecaps on MLS All-Star team
The Western Conference-leading Vancouver Whitecaps placed four players on the 26-man MLS All-Star team that was announced Wednesday by the league. Forward Brian White, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, defender Tristan Blackmon and goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka will represent Vancouver in the MLS All-Star Game versus LIGA MX's best players on July 23 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. The expansion San Diego FC are the only other MLS club represented by more than two players as forwards Anders Dreyer and Chucky Lozano and midfielder Jeppe Tverskov claimed spots on the team. Inter Miami's Lionel Messi (the league's reigning MVP), Philadelphia's Tai Baribo (the league's leading goal-scorer with 13), Charlotte FC's Patrick Agyemang, LAFC's Denis Bouanga, Columbus' Diego Rossi and Austin FC's Brandon Vazquez round out the All-Star forwards. Berhalter and Tverskov are joined in the midfield by Portland's David Da Costa, FC Cincinnati's Evander, RSL's Diego Luna and Chicago's Philip Zinckernagel. Inter Miami's Jordi Alba, Columbus' Max Arfsten, Minnesota's Michael Boxall, Orlando City's Alex Freeman, Philadelphia's Jakob Glesnes, Nashville's Andy Najar and FC Cincinnati's Miles Robinson join Blackmon in the back end. Minnesota's Dayne St. Clair, who boasts a league-high-tying eight clean sheets, and Austin's Brad Stuver will share time in goal with Takaoka. MLS built its squad with 12 players voted in by the fans, 12 players selected by All-Star coach Nico Estevez of Austin FC and two players chosen by Commissioner Don Garber. Alba, Baribo, Berhalter, Blackmon, Bouanga, Boxall, Evander, Freeman, Luna, Messi, St. Clair and White were elected by the fans. Arfsten, Da Costa, Dreyer, Glesnes, Najar, Robinson, Rossi, Stuver, Takaoka, Tverskov, Vazquez and Zinckernagel got the nod from Estevez. Garber tabbed Agyemang and Lozano as his picks. The 24-year-old Agyemang makes his first All-Star appearance while Lozano, 29, has made a big impact as San Diego FC's first Designated Player.
