Bayern Munich have overcome a determined resistance from Flamengo to book their place in the Club World Cup quarterfinals with an entertaining 4-2 victory in their round of 16 clash.
Harry Kane scored twice as the German giants became the latest European team to knock out their South American counterparts from the global cup competition on Sunday, prompting Flamengo coach Filipe Luis to say the football elite “remain in Europe”.
Vincent Kompany’s side will now play European champions Paris Saint-Germain in Atlanta on Saturday for a place in the last four.
Flamengo, backed by a huge and passionate following at Hard Rock Stadium, bowed out of the tournament despite a performance of real determination from Luis’s team.
Joshua Kimmich opened the scoring for Bayern in the sixth minute, and the score was doubled four minutes later as Kane bagged his first.
Bayern looked like they were going to run away with the game but the three-time Copa Libertadores champions were able to find a foothold.
Flamengo were rewarded for their efforts in the 33rd minute when after the dangerous Luiz Araujo played the ball in from the left, the ball fell to Gerson who unleashed a thunderbolt which rocketed past Neuer to bring the bulk of the 60,914 crowd to their feet.
But all that good work from the Rio team was undone four minutes before the break when Araujo’s poor clearance landed straight at the feet of Leon Goretzka who had the time and space to settle himself before, from more than 20 yards out, placing his shot into the corner to make it 3-1.
Flamengo came out determined to respond once again and they reduced the deficit again in the 55th minute when Michael Olise handled a cross from Giorgian de Arrascaeta at close range and Jorginho took advantage of the opportunity with an ice-cool conversion.
The contest was finally settled in the 73rd minute when Konrad Laimer won the ball in midfield and fed Kimmich who, in turn, slipped the ball through to Kane, who confidently beat Agustin Rossi with one of his trademark precision and power drives.
‘European teams have the best Brazilian players’
Later, Luis said the football elite remained in Europe as he doffed his cap to Bayern’s killer touch.
“It’s up to us to simply recognise the superiority of our opponent. They are very good, we knew that. At this level, any mistake is fatal. Those who deserved to go through got through,” he said.
“Our plan did work and we were able to apply pressure and create goal-scoring opportunities, but they were better than us; we’re playing against the football elite. If Vinicius Jr had not left for Real Madrid, we would have the best player in the world.
“They [South American players] want to be in the elite and that’s what they are, had we won today and the tournament, it would not change the reality – they’re high-quality teams. We have many Brazilian players in our teams, but they [the European teams] have the best ones. They have better players – that’s a fact.”
European teams were expected to dominate the expanded Club World Cup but sometimes struggled in the group phase while all Brazilian teams advanced and made an impression.
Bayern, however, restored a measure of what the European football establishment would call “order” ahead of Inter Milan’s clash with Brazil’s Fluminense, also in the last 16. Palmeiras progressed by beating fellow Brazilian side Botafogo on Saturday.
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