Espérance – Flamengo (0-2): Match summary and goals from the Club World Cup

Africa 17 June 2025 at 05:31

Mohamed Rek

News Editor

Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, United States, set the stage for an intense showdown between Espérance de Tunis and Brazilian giants Flamengo, as part of the group stage (Group D) of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Espérance suffered a 0-2 defeat against a star-studded, world-class opponent.

Uruguayan midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta broke the deadlock in the 17th minute with a powerful strike that goalkeeper Béchir Ben Saïd could not keep out. Later, Luis Araújo doubled the lead in the 70th minute, capitalizing on a perfectly curled assist from Italian playmaker Jorginho.

This victory gives Flamengo three points and puts them level with Chelsea at the top of the group, while Espérance remains without a point, sitting third alongside Los Angeles FC.

Maher Kanzari: "Proud of my players' commitment despite the defeat"

Coach Maher Kanzari acknowledged the quality of the opposition, reminding everyone that Flamengo features numerous Brazilian internationals. At the post-match press conference, he said:

"Despite the defeat, I am proud of my players' commitment and fighting spirit, especially in the second half, when they regained confidence and delivered a respectable performance against a formidable opponent."

He also praised Jorginho's display, highlighting his decisive influence on the game: "A player of his calibre in midfield makes things extremely difficult, and he orchestrated the second goal to perfection."

Finally, Kanzari paid tribute to Espérance's supporters, who turned out in great numbers: "The support from our fans was invaluable, and our players drew motivation from that energy, despite all the challenges we faced."

See also: Club World Cup – Chelsea overcomes Los Angeles