Flamengo’s dominant 2-0 victory over Esperance de Tunis on Monday will have caught the attention of Group D favorites Chelsea, and suggests the Brazilian side could have a significant impact at FIFA’s revamped tournament.
The Brazilian Cup champions next face Chelsea, who beat MLS side LAFC 2-0 earlier in the day, in a mouth-watering clash at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Friday that should determine the group winner.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT:
It has been over a decade since a European team lost at the Club World Cup but the ease with which Flamengo dispensed with Esperance will give them confidence they can end that run when they face Chelsea on Friday.
The London side were the last European team to taste defeat at the tournament, losing to Corinthians in the 2012 final, but since then the continent’s clubs are undefeated in 27 matches.
Palmeiras and Boca Juniors came close to wins over Porto and Benfica in their openers at the current edition, and South American sides have six games left against European opposition in the group stage to break their stranglehold.
Flamengo are unbeaten in over a month and lead the Brazilian league playing a solid brand of football under the calm guidance of former Atletico Madrid defender Filipe Luis.
KEY QUOTES:
Flamengo midfielder Jorginho: “We enjoyed the goal, and the fans were amazing, as I’ve seen before but now I’m living it. The most important thing is the performance that we did. I think we controlled the game, we played well and we deserved the win, I think that was the most important thing for us.
“It felt really good, because we have great players who understand the game, I feel that we can understand each other very quickly, and it’s going to be a good bond with the group and everything, so we just need to keep working together and move forward.”
Flamengo manager Filipe Luis: “At the beginning we managed to control the game with possession, then after the first goal we slowed down a bit and that cost us a bit of time with the ball. But in the second half we managed to score the second goal and a great win, three points. Now we have to face the next chapter for this group, Chelsea is a difficult team, but very happy with the win.” (Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Peter Rutherford )

LONDON: Frances Tiafoe fell to a first round exit at Queen’s Club on Monday as veteran Brit Dan Evans rolled back the years, while fourth seed Holger Rune eased through.

Evans, who needed a wildcard for his place in the draw after sliding to 199 in the world rankings, proved too good for the seventh seed in a 7-5, 6-2 win.

“I still believed I’ve got that tennis in me and I still believe I can do good things inside the top 100. But believing it and it happening is a lot different,” said Evans after winning the first men’s match on the newly-christened Andy Murray Arena.

The 35-year-old was a fitting victor as he had partnered Murray in his final match before retirement in the men’s doubles at the Paris Olympics.

“A few people mentioned it, that I had finished with him in his last match and then played the men’s event, the first match,” added Evans.

“It was pretty cool to do that.”

Rune had no such problems as the Dane eased into his grass court season with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Australian lucky loser Christopher O’Connell.

British No. 2 Jacob Fearnley joined Evans in round two after he made short work of Australia’s Alex Bolt with a 6-2 6-4 victory.

But there was disappointment for another home favorite in Cameron Norrie, who was beaten 7-6 (8/6) 1-6 6-1 by Czech rising star Jakub Mensik.

The 19-year-old, who beat Novak Djokovic to win the Miami Masters in March, next faces Roberto Bautista Agut, who edged out Nuno Borges 6-7 (6/8), 7-5, 6-4.

Qualifier Mackenzie McDonald got the better of 38-year-old Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-4.

Carlos Alcaraz plays for the first time since his remarkable French Open victory over Jannik Sinner on Tuesday when he begins his quest for a second title at Queen’s against fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.