FIFA Club World Cup
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Miguel Merentiel scored a superb equaliser to make it 1-1 between Boca Juniors and Bayern Munich in the Club World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Bundesliga champions totally dominated the first half and must have been left scratching their heads as to how they not go into half-time with a bigger advantage.
Harry Kane got the only goal of the first half in the 18th minute after Michael Olise's olimpico was disallowed by VAR 10 minutes earlier.
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GO FURTHER
Pace, swerve, angle – the art of the ‘olimpico’, football’s (usually) rare phenomenon
71' Bayern Munich 1-1 Boca Juniors
The momentum has completely shifted in this game, and everyone on the pitch can feel it.
Boca Juniors is getting their first moments of sustained pressure in this one.
Meanwhile, Leroy Sane is on for Kingsley Coman and Dayot Upamecano is on for Raphaël Guerreiro. Vincent Kompany wasting no time using more of his subs after that equalizer.
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The solo effort of the tournament to date. Where would this fledgling tournament be without showmen from South America? An atmosphere worthy of the moment.
What. A. Goal. Miguel Merentiel makes a brilliant, darting run down the right side, beats Jonathan Tah for pace and then nicks the ball around Josip Stanisic. The Boca captain sizes up Manuel Neuer and whips a fine finish into the net. What a moment.
67' Bayern Munich 1-1 Boca Juniors
What a brilliant counter from Boca, just as Bayern had been showing some weakness on that front. Shortly after he made a run to nowhere on a counter that imploded, Alan Velasco released striker Miguel Merentiel down the center of the pitch, and Merentiel made a perfect run and beat Neuer brilliantly.
Brand-new game, and the fans know it. Jubilation in the stands. Bayern sure rue those missed chances now…
66' Bayern Munich 1-1 Boca Juniors
Brand-new game!
Boca stuns Bayern on the counter.
We're level — Hard Rock Stadium is roaring!
60' Bayern Munich 1-0 Boca Juniors
A bit of a curious one for Boca Juniors. Austin Zenon, his side's most dangerous attacker in the first half, is replaced by Malcom Braida.
Let's see if it gives the side some life…
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56' Bayern Munich 1-0 Boca Juniors
Our Jack Lang called it. Starboy Jamal Musiala is on for Serge Gnabry in central attacking midfield. Vincent Kompany also sends on Aleksandar Pavlovic for Leon Goretzka, who picked up a yellow card at the end of the first half.
55' Bayern Munich 1-0 Boca Juniors
It feels like a when, not if, Bayern will get their second. Harry Kane's shot is blocked by Di Lollo, resulting in another corner for the German side.
It's cleared by Boca Juniors, but the Bayern pressure continues to build…
53' Bayern Munich 1-0 Boca Juniors
Marchesin has already been busy in the first 10 minutes of this half, corraling a free kick and then making a save on a weakly hit strike from Olise.
Boca then pressures Bayern on the other end but a Stanisic clearence ends the threat.
Jamal Musiala is getting his kit on down on the bench. You imagine he'll take the place of Serge Gnabry, who has offered less than the other Bayern forwards tonight. Musiala scored three times in 17 minutes against Auckland… can't imagine the tiring Boca defence will be pleased to see him.
49' Bayern Munich 1-0 Boca Juniors
A little bit livelier for Boca in the second half, but they're still a bit disorganized.
They've already taken two shots at goal from well outside the box — one easily corralled by Neuer and one that sailed well over the bar off the foot of Advincula.
Not the best indicator of their confidence of an actual build-up against this Bayern defence.
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45' Bayern Munich 1-0 Boca Juniors
We're back from Miami!
Can Boca Juniors give their fans more to cheer for, or will Bayern continue the clinical display shown in the first half?
I wonder how much it helped Bayern to get essentially a tune-up friendly in this competition against amateur side Auckland City. Facing Boca Juniors in front of this crowd in Miami was supposed to be much more of a challenge, yet Bayern have hardly broken a sweat (metaphorically, not literally). Compare that to the draws that Real Madrid, PSG, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea got to start this tournament.
Every game those four have played, aside from perhaps Atletico's win yesterday over Seattle Sounders, have come against a side that has European talent, experience or some combination of both. Bayern seem as comfortable as any European side through their first one and a half matches in this Club World Cup.
HT Bayern Munich 1-0 Boca Juniors
In case you needed a visual representation of just how dominant Bayern were in those first 45 minutes…
I learned the future tense in Italian listening to Laura Pausini. This is the first time I've heard the official FIFA song in which she guests on Robbie Williams' track. I do not want to have to listen to this song in the future.
Mi dispiace, Laura. Ti voglio bene.
Here is how Group C looks at half-time of its fourth game:
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HT Bayern Munich 1-0 Boca Juniors
The only positive Boca Juniors can take from that first half is that they are only a goal behind.
They have been totally outplayed so far and should be at least two more goals behind going into the half-time break.
We have seen two South American teams take big scalps at this tournament in the last 24 hours, but Bayern have re-hoisted the European flag this evening.
How it is only 1-0 after 45 minutes is a bit of mystery.
HT Bayern Munich 1-0 Boca Juniors
You can't keep a good man down. And, in footballing terms, Harry Kane is most certainly a good man.
Eyebrows were raised when he failed to get in on the goalscoring action in the 10-0 opening win against Auckland City, but he has come back with a bang today.
Typical predatory instincts from Kane inside the penalty area and he has his 39th goal of the season for Bayern.
Staggering numbers!
HT Bayern Munich 1-0 Boca Juniors
Vincent Kompany will rue those chances to really take the Argentinian giants out of this one early, especially given the pro-Boca crowd in Miami.
Still, a dominant first half from Bayern in which the German giants were a class above nearly the entire time.
