Inter Milan secured a thrilling 2-1 victory over Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds on Saturday at Seattle’s Lumen Field, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from 20-year-old Argentine Valentin Carboni. The win eliminates Urawa Reds from the tournament and puts Inter in a strong position to advance to the last 16.
The Japanese side took an early lead in the 11th minute when Takuro Kaneko’s incisive run down the right flank set up Ryoma Watanabe to score with a first-time finish. The Urawa Reds, champions of the 2023 Asian Champions League, were buoyed by a lively home crowd.
Inter Milan, runners-up in the UEFA Champions League, struggled to break down the Japanese defense initially. Captain Lautaro Martinez, who had previously scored an equalizer in Inter’s 1-1 draw with Monterrey, came to the rescue again in the 78th minute. Martinez acrobatically converted a Nicolo Barella corner with an overhead kick to level the score.
The match seemed destined for a draw until Carboni, who had not played competitively for Inter since October due to a serious knee injury, came off the bench. In the 92nd minute, he calmly sidefooted home after a shot from Petar Sucic deflected off teammate Francesco Esposito, securing a dramatic late victory for the Italians.
This result leaves Cristian Chivu’s side well-placed to qualify for the knockout stages, while Urawa Reds face elimination after suffering their second consecutive defeat.
