Club America Downs Inter on Penalties to Kick Off the “World Football Challenge”

Well, that was unexpected.

Did anybody else look at the lineup for the World Football Challenge — AC Milan, Inter Milan, Chelsea, and Club América — and think, “This might not be pretty for Club América”? With particular worries about the first game last night against Serie A Champions Inter?

(What do you mean, what’s the World Football Challenge? It’s the “let’s use European and Mexican football to make money in the US” tournament. Or, for the less cynical, the opportunity for US-based fans of non-US clubs to see their heroes in the flesh.)

Yesterday was the first match.

The Mexican club proved the doubters wrong, at least in this game, by taking the lead in the 51st minute on the above goal, an exquisite left-footed blast by Juan Carlos Silva off a Pavel Pardo corner. Inter managed to equalize in the 60th on a goal by Ivan Ramiro Cordoba, below.

After that things stayed equal through regulation time despite one late sending off apiece — Enrique Escada Esqueda for America and a harsh one for Joel Obi of Inter. In the end, Club America took the three two points on penalties (because that’s what a win on penalties apparently give you if you’re in the World Football Challenge), 5-4, after Patrick Vieira blasted his over the crossbar.

(I’m starting to think that French players are doomed when it comes to game-deciding penalties. Trezeguet in WC 2006, Anelka in the Champions League final 2008. Now Vieira? Come on, boys! Stop embarrassing me!)

The fact that Inter’s starting lineup screamed “preseason friendly” may have helped Club América just a bit. No Zanetti, no Ibrahimovic, and who do you think their starting goalkeeper was?

Julio Cesar? No.
Francesco Toldo? No again.
How about nineteen-year-old Slovenian Vid Bélec, who as far as I can tell has only been even practicing with the senior team for a few months? And he didn’t do too badly last inght. (Aside from that whole not-stopping-any-penalties thing.) Be sure to check out the save at about the 2:20 in the video at the bottom. Class.

On a humorous note, apparently nobody bothered to tell the players that the game couldn’t end in a draw, as they started the shirt swap after regulation time, only to be told to put their own clothes back on and finish the match.

Oops. I hate when that happens.

Total game highlights, including the penalty shootout:

Next up in the tourney? The Special One’s current vs. his ex, Inter vs. Chelsea, in California, Tuesday, 8 p.m. Pacific. How much do you want to bet that we see a slightly more typical starting lineup for Inter?

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Category: World Football