Messi Bends It, Sundowns & Dortmund in 7-Goal Madness, Jackson Says Sorry, Wonderkids Shine: Club World Cup Matchday 2 (Groups A–H) Roundup

1. Palmeiras 2–0 Al Ahly 🇪🇬🇧🇷; 

Rain tried to delay it, but Palmeiras weren’t in the mood to wait. A lucky deflection off Wessam Abou Ali broke the deadlock, and José Manuel López sealed it on the break. But the star of the show? Estevao. The Chelsea-bound wonderkid glided past defenders like he forgot gravity existed. 

2. Inter Miami 2–1 FC Porto 🇮🇹🇵🇹; 

 A nightmare start for Miami — conceding a penalty in the opening minute — but it turned into a Messi masterclass. Telasco Segovia equalised early in the second half, then Messi stepped up with a vintage free-kick in the 79th minute. “That’s why he’s the GOAT,” one fan posted. No need to argue. 

 ✅Qualified: Palmeiras and Inter Miami 

❌Out: Porto and Al Ahly 

1. Seattle 1–3 Atlético Madrid 🇺🇸🇪🇸; 

Seattle grabbed an early goal, but then Pablo Barrios took the wheel and drove the Sounders off a cliff. His two goals flipped the script, and Witsel added one for good measure. Seattle stay winless, and possibly clueless. 

2. Botafogo 1–0 PSG 🇧🇷🇫🇷; 

 This might be the upset of the tournament. Igor Jesus scored before halftime, and despite all the stars in Paris, PSG couldn’t find a way back. Botafogo? Two games, two wins. They’re living the dream. Someone check if this is real. ✅Qualified: Botafogo and PSG ❌Out: Atl. Madrid and Seattle 

1. Bayern 2–1 Boca Juniors 🇩🇪🇦🇷; 

Not as wild as their opener, but Bayern got the job done. Kane from the spot, Olise late on, and a Merentiel goal for Boca sandwiched between. Routine chaos for Bayern. 

2. Benfica 6–0 Auckland City 🇵🇹🇳🇿; 

The game got paused by lightning. Then Benfica brought the thunder. Di María scored two penalties, Barreiro bagged a brace, and Pavlidis and Sanches got on the scoresheet too. A mismatch in every sense. ✅Qualified: Bayern and Benfica ❌Out: Boca and Auckland 

Flamengo 3–1 Chelsea 🇧🇷🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿; 

Chelsea scored first. Then Jackson saw red. Then it all went south. Bruno Henrique and Danilo flipped the game on its head, Wallace Yan sealed it, and Jackson posted an apology after the match: “I let everyone down.” At least he didn’t ghost it.

Esperance 1–0 LAFC 🇹🇳🇺🇸; 

 One goal — maybe by Moncer, maybe Belkebla (VAR had a hard day). LAFC tried late on but couldn’t make it count. They’re heading home in silence. 

✅Qualified: Flamengo ❌Still Alive: Chelsea and Esperance ( LAFC are out) 

1. Inter Milan 2–1 Urawa Reds 🇮🇹🇯🇵; 

Ryo Watanabe’s early strike stunned Inter, who looked shaky for long spells. Lautaro Martínez calmed nerves with an equaliser before Cristian Carboni rescued the win in added time. Inter fans might want to check their blood pressure. 

2. River Plate 0–0 Monterrey 🇦🇷🇲🇽; 

A midfield war that ended without a winner. Monterrey had a few openings but lacked the finishing touch. River controlled possession but failed to create clear chances. ✅Still Alive: Inter Milan, River Plate, Monterray ❌Out: Urawa Reds 

1. Sundowns 3–4 Dortmund 🇿🇦🇩🇪; 

Pure chaos. Sundowns went ahead through Robeiro, then Dortmund hit back with three goals from Nmecha, Guirassy, and Bellingham. Sundowns refused to die, pulling two back. Seven goals and one instant classic. 

2. Fluminense 4–2 Ulsan Hyundai 🇧🇷🇰🇷; 

A clinic in Brazilian attacking football. Four different scorers for Fluminense. Ulsan tried to match the tempo but couldn’t hang after halftime. 

✅Still Alive: Fluminense, Dortmund, Sundowns 

❌Out: Ulsan HD 

1. Juventus 4–1 Wydad AC 🇮🇹🇲🇦; 

Kenan Yıldız stole the spotlight. Two goals, one screamer, and a celebration like he’d done this for years. Wydad pulled one back, but Vlahovic’s penalty shut the door. 

2. Manchester City 6–0 Al Ain 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿; 

City turned on the style again. Claudio Echeverri scored a stunning free-kick and Pep Guardiola called him “a genius in progress.” Foden, Cherki, and Bobb also chipped in. This City side is deep and deadly. 

✅Qualified: Manchester City and Juventus 

❌Out: Wydad and Al Ain 

1. Salzburg 0–0 Al Hilal 🇦🇹🇸🇦; 

A forgettable match but a crucial result. Bounou made some important saves and Salzburg had half-chances but neither team found a winner. Both still have a shot. 

1. Real Madrid 3–1 Pachuca ; 

Asencio’s red card didn't make things harder for Madrid, they took advantage with goals from Bellingham, Güler, and Valverde. After the match, 

✅Top of the group: Real Madrid 
❌Still alive: Salzburg, Al Hilal and Pachuca (Already Out)