Nigerian midfielder Onuche Ogbelu delivered a strong performance but his side Espérance de Tunis suffered a 2-0 defeat to Brazilian club Flamengo in their opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia.
Flamengo secured the victory through a first-half strike by Giorgian De Arrascaeta and a well-executed team effort that culminated in Luiz Araujo’s second-half goal.
The win took Flamengo to the top of Group D, overtaking UEFA Conference League champions Chelsea who also claimed a 2-0 win over LAFC in their opening game, but accumulated more yellow cards than the Brazilian side. Meanwhile, Espérance sit bottom of the table after the first round of games.
Giorgian De Arrascaeta was named as the man of the match due to his impressive performance in the game. The Uruguayan midfielder opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a clinical first-time finish after a brilliant pass from Luiz Araujo.
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The early goal set the tone for Flamengo’s dominance in possession, but Espérance shot-stopper Bechir Ben Said stood firm, making key saves to limit the damage and keep the score at 1-0 for much of the match.
Nonetheless, Flamengo’s victory was eventually sealed courtesy of the composure and vision of new signing Jorginho, who set up Brazilian forward Luiz Araujo with a perfectly weighted pass for a well-taken finish that made it 2-0.
Despite the loss, 22-year-old Onuche Ogbelu stood out for Espérance, registering a 78% pass completion rate, one key pass, four ground duels won, two successful tackles, and two clearances.
Espérance must now turn their attention to a must-win clash against LAFC to keep their knockout hopes alive, while Flamengo prepare for a high-stakes encounter with Chelsea, with both sides aiming to maintain their perfect start.
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