Flamengo began their Club World Cup campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Esperance de Tunis in their Group D opener in Philadelphia on Monday thanks to goals from Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Luiz Araujo.

The Brazilian side dominated from start to finish on a chilly evening at a half-empty Lincoln Financial Field, with Esperance managing only two attempts on goal.

Flamengo opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Guillermo Varela surged down the right and delivered a pinpoint cross to Luiz Araujo, who cushioned the ball into the path of Arrascaeta to fire home.

Esperance struggled to get a foothold on the match, with Flamengo enjoying 80% possession, but they enjoyed their best moments after the break with Youcef Belaili providing a rare spark.

After curling a shot narrowly wide in the 63rd minute, Belaili forced Flamengo goalkeeper Augustin Rossi into a sharp save with a close-range effort five minutes later.

However, Flamengo quickly reasserted control to silence the lively Tunisian support behind the south goal and in the 70th minute they doubled their lead through Araujo.

Former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Jorginho played an incisive through ball for Araujo to break the offside trap and after cutting inside he curled a precise left-footed strike into the bottom corner.

The win puts Flamengo level on points with Chelsea at the top of Group D, after the London club also secured a 2-0 victory over LAFC earlier in the day.

Flamengo and Chelsea meet on Friday in a match likely to determine the group winner.

-Reuters

Flamengo’s dominant 2-0 victory over Esperance de Tunis on Monday will have caught the attention of Group D favourites Chelsea, and suggests the Brazilian side could have a significant impact at FIFA’s revamped tournament.

The Brazilian Cup champions next face Chelsea, who beat MLS side LAFC 2-0 earlier in the day, in a mouth-watering clash at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Friday that should determine the group winner.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT:

It has been over a decade since a European team lost at the Club World Cup but the ease with which Flamengo dispensed with Esperance will give them confidence they can end that run when they face Chelsea on Friday.

The London side were the last European team to taste defeat at the tournament, losing to Corinthians in the 2012 final, but since then the continent’s clubs are undefeated in 27 matches.

Palmeiras and Boca Juniors came close to wins over Porto and Benfica in their openers at the current edition, and South American sides have six games left against European opposition in the group stage to break their stranglehold.

Flamengo are unbeaten in over a month and lead the Brazilian league playing a solid brand of football under the calm guidance of former Atletico Madrid defender Filipe Luis.

KEY QUOTES:

Flamengo midfielder Jorginho: “We enjoyed the goal, and the fans were amazing, as I’ve seen before but now I’m living it. The most important thing is the performance that we did. I think we controlled the game, we played well and we deserved the win, I think that was the most important thing for us.

“It felt really good, because we have great players who understand the game, I feel that we can understand each other very quickly, and it’s going to be a good bond with the group and everything, so we just need to keep working together and move forward.”

Flamengo manager Filipe Luis: “At the beginning we managed to control the game with possession, then after the first goal we slowed down a bit and that cost us a bit of time with the ball. But in the second half we managed to score the second goal and a great win, three points. Now we have to face the next chapter for this group, Chelsea is a difficult team, but very happy with the win.”

-Reuters

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Soaring temperatures and oppressive humidity at the Club World Cup are fuelling concerns among players, coaches, and fans, with calls for additional cooling breaks and adjustments to match schedules.

Midday kickoff temperatures in Pasadena at the weekend approached 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit), forcing players in the Paris St Germain v Atletico Madrid match to dig in early as the midday sun blazed on the Rose Bowl’s uncovered stands and pitch.

Atletico’s Marcos Llorente described the conditions as “terribly hot,” saying “my toes were sore, my nails were hurting… it’s incredible.”

Fans, too, voiced concern.

Attendees at the Rose Bowl complained of long queues in harsh heat, limited shaded areas and water restrictions at entry, with some leaving at halftime due to dehydration and fear of fainting.

Similar mid‑afternoon kickoff conditions are planned for upcoming matches, stoking safety concerns for supporters and players.

Monday’s match in Pasadena was not an isolated incident. Miami and Los Angeles are experiencing temperatures north of 30 °C (86 °F), many rising above the 32 °C heat‑stress threshold, triggering warnings from player unions.

Tuesday’s game between Real Madrid and Al Hilal is scheduled at 1500 local time with temperatures expected to reach 32°C with humidity set to hover around 70%.

The world players’ union FIFPRO has suggested FIFA should revise scheduling, if needed.

“FIFPRO has consistently advocated for comprehensive heat protection measures including mandatory cooling breaks, adjustments to kick-off times to avoid the most intense heat, and the postponement of matches when conditions pose a serious health risk to players,” FIFPRO said.

“With tournaments like the Club World Cup featuring dense match schedules and hot climates in locations such as Orlando and Miami, extreme heat is becoming an increasingly important health and safety issue in professional football.

“FIFPRO will closely monitor the situation in the coming weeks with a view to prioritising player welfare over other considerations.”

The current rules permit one mandatory break per half.

England coach Thomas Tuchel, observing the tournament as part of planning for next year’s World Cup in North America, warned the tournament schedule would resemble “suffering,” with players battling harsh midday conditions.

The heat represents one of many controversies plaguing the expanded 32‑team format. FIFPRO and the PFA have launched legal action in Brussels, alleging FIFA overstepped by introducing an unsustainable four‑week calendar, risking player burnout.

Critics say the added fixtures, combined with sweltering heat, could severely strain player welfare.

FIFA, however, maintains that the extended summer fixtures align with the broader International Match Calendar and that existing protocols are sufficient.

-Reuters

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