The eleventh day of the Club World Cup delivered drama and surprises in spades. Benfica shocked Bayern Munich to top Group C ahead of the German giants, while Chelsea comfortably took care of business against Espérance and now prepare to face the Portuguese side in the Round of 16. Flamengo, already through, drew with LAFC and now await a clash with Bayern. There was also a feel-good moment in the Auckland vs. Boca matchup, which ended in a historic draw for the New Zealanders—who had been thrashed in both of their previous games. Boca, on the other hand, leave the tournament as one of its biggest disappointments.
Matchday Results
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| Auckland City – Boca Juniors | 1–1 |
| Benfica – Bayern Munich | 1–0 |
| Espérance – Chelsea | 0–3 |
| LAFC – Flamengo | 1–1 |
Auckland City–Boca Juniors 1–1
Gray answers Garrow’s own goal: first-ever point for the Kiwis
In a matchup between two already-eliminated teams, Auckland City and Boca Juniors shared the spoils with a 1–1 draw that still made club history: it marked the first-ever point earned by Auckland in the tournament. Boca started aggressively, imposing their rhythm and breaking the deadlock in the 26th minute: from a Velasco corner, Lollo’s header struck the post, and the rebound deflected off Garrow and into his own net. Boca dominated the rest of the first half but couldn’t double their lead.
In the second half, Auckland capitalized on their moment: another corner, this time from Lagos, found Gray at the near post, who rose above the defense to head past Romero for the 1–1 equalizer in the 52nd minute. The match was briefly halted due to a weather alert (unfortunately not the first at this U.S.-based Club World Cup), but when play resumed, Boca took control again. Still, long-range efforts from Palacios were not enough to beat Garrow, who made two excellent saves late on. Boca finish with 2 points, Auckland with 1.
Both exit the competition, but the Kiwis do so with pride.
Benfica–Bayern Munich 1–0
Schjelderup downs Bayern: Portuguese side top Group C, Germans punished for rotation
Benfica beat Bayern Munich 1–0 to sensationally finish first in Group C. The Portuguese side took control from the opening whistle, helped by Vincent Kompany’s heavy squad rotation. The breakthrough came in the 13th minute after a brilliant team move: Di Maria provided the spark, Aursnes supplied the assist, and Schjelderup finished at the near post with the Bayern defense completely out of shape.
The first half was all Benfica, who came close to doubling their lead multiple times, forcing Neuer into several key saves. Bayern came to life after halftime with the introductions of Kimmich, Kane, and Olise, pinning Benfica deep. But Trubin was immense in goal, denying Sané, Pavlovic, and Kane. When he was finally beaten, VAR intervened to cancel out a Kimmich goal due to Kane being offside and interfering with play.
Despite their second-half siege, Bayern couldn’t find an equalizer and finish second in the group with 6 points.
They now face Flamengo in the Round of 16.
Espérance–Chelsea 0–3
Blues seal the deal with two goals in first-half stoppage time and one late strike
Job done for Chelsea, who beat Espérance Tunis 3–0 to advance as Group D runners-up. Manager Enzo Maresca made moderate rotations, and his team struggled early against a well-drilled and aggressive Tunisian side. But the Blues broke through in first-half stoppage time: at 48’, Enzo Fernández set up Adarabioyo for a pinpoint header. Two minutes later, Fernández was at it again, this time providing the assist for Delap, who capitalized on a complete defensive breakdown.
In the second half, Chelsea managed the tempo without risk and handed debuts to several youngsters. One of them, Tyrique George, put the icing on the cake in the 96th minute, coolly finishing off a counterattack.
Chelsea close out group play with 6 points, behind Flamengo who edged them in the head-to-head. Espérance exit the competition with 3 points—brave but too brittle when it mattered most.
LAFC–Flamengo 1–1
Plenty of chances and four shots off the woodwork, but it ends all square: Bouanga and Wallace on target
Already assured of first place, Flamengo faced LAFC in a relaxed atmosphere and wrapped up group play with a 1–1 draw full of action. The Brazilians rotated heavily but still provided entertainment: in the first 30 minutes alone, they hit the woodwork four times—through Danilo, Arrascaeta, and Pedro, who missed a sitter with an open net. LAFC also struck the post with Rossi and had a Marlon goal disallowed for offside.
The second half followed the same script: wasteful Flamengo and a compact LAFC looking to counter. Then, the twist in the 83rd minute: Bouanga skipped past Varela and Danilo and slotted home with his left foot for the 1–0. But Flamengo responded instantly—just two minutes later, Wallace Yan broke through the defense and equalized.
Flamengo top Group D with 7 points, while LAFC finish bottom with just 1.
The Brazilians now prepare for a high-stakes clash with Bayern Munich; for Giroud and co., the tournament ends here.
Group C
| Team | Points | GF | GA | Goal Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benfica | 7 | 9 | 2 | +7 |
| Bayern Munich | 6 | 12 | 2 | +10 |
| Boca Juniors | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 |
| Auckland City | 1 | 1 | 17 | -16 |
Group D
| Team | Points | GF | GA | Goal Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flamengo | 7 | 6 | 2 | +4 |
| Chelsea | 6 | 6 | 3 | +3 |
| Espérance Tunis | 3 | 1 | 5 | -4 |
| LAFC | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 |
What’s Next:
Thrilling Round of 16 matchups await, with heavyweight clashes like Bayern vs. Flamengo and Benfica vs. Chelsea on the horizon.
