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Sergio Ramos scored for Monterrey against Inter Milan in the FIFA Club World Cup, but Lautaro Martinez equalized for a 1-1 draw. Inter dominated possession but struggled to break down Monterrey's defense.
Pasadena: The 39-year-old Spanish great Sergio Ramos scored as Monterrey held Inter Milan 1-1 in a hard-fought FIFA Club World Cup Group E opener in Pasadena on Tuesday.
Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez scored a well-worked equaliser to cancel out Ramos's opener for the Mexican side in front of 40,311 fans at the Rose Bowl.
Inter, playing their first game since being thrashed 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, were left ruing their failure to turn their dominance of possession and territory into goals.
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But the draw was a boost for Ramos and Monterrey, who face Argentina's River Plate in their next game on Saturday.
"When you don't get all three points you're never entirely happy," Ramos, the former Spain and Real Madrid defender, said.
"But one point is better than no point.
"They were a tough opponent and have just played in the final of the Champions League. We were a little bit nervous but in the second half we stayed organised and kept the ball better.
"Now we need to think about the next game."
Inter coach Cristian Chivu said his team had struggled to break down a Monterrey team who sat deep for long periods.
"We played well in the first half even though we went behind," Chivu said. "We could have attacked better in the second half. It's not easy to play against a very low block."
Chivu, in his first match in charge after the departure of Simone Inzaghi, denied the Champions League finalists had underestimated the Mexicans.
"We respect every team we play and we knew what kind of team they were, we tried to do our best," he said.
"Sometimes you get the best out of it, sometimes you don't. We created a lot of chances. Football's not won on paper."
- All Inter -
The Italians were in complete control almost from the kick-off, Benjamin Pavard the first to threaten with an eighth-minute shot that flew over the bar.
Matteo Darmian should have done better in the 22nd minute but shot over after clever work down the left from Nicolo Barella.
Yet despite the early onslaught, Inter were rocked in the 25th minute when Monterrey scored from one of their few forays into the Italians' half.
Midfielder Oliver Torres swung a corner in from the right and Ramos -- who had lost Francesco Acerbi on the edge of the six-yard box -- steered his header into the bottom corner.
Inter were soon back on the offensive and only a point-blank save by Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada from Sebastiano Esposito prevented an equaliser.
Martinez also went close after 36 minutes, and Inter had a strong penalty appeal when Pavard's header struck Ramos on the arm inside the area.
VAR found in favor of Ramos and Monterrey escaped.
Three minutes later Inter drew level with a wonderfully worked free-kick routine.
Albanian international Kristjan Asllani shaped to shoot from 25 yards out but instead flighted a delicate chip behind the Monterrey defence.
Brazilian international Carlos Augusto timed his run to perfection and squared into the path of Martinez, who tapped in for 1-1.
Monterrey almost regained the lead against the run of play on 64 minutes, Sergio Canales unleashing a low shot that cannoned off the post.
Inter had a Martinez goal ruled out for offside moments later as the Italians continued to threaten.
But it was Monterrey who came closest to grabbing a winner in stoppage time when Colombian midfielder Nelson Deossa got behind the Inter defence but could only shoot into the side netting.
Sundowns edge Ulsan in front of empty stands
Orlando: Mamelodi Sundowns got off to a winning start at the Club World Cup with a 1-0 victory over South Korean side Ulsan HD on Tuesday in a match delayed by a weather warning and played before largely empty stands.
The South African side went top of Group F in front of a crowd given as 3,412 after Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense drew 0-0 earlier.
A weather warning pushed back kick-off by just over an hour for one of the less enticing group clashes in the expanded FIFA tournament, which has so far not succeeded in filling grounds for every match.
However, those who were in attendance were party to an engaging battle.
Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso's Mamelodi have won the South African top flight for eight consecutive seasons but finished as runners-up in the CAF Champions League final earlier in June.
They claimed victory through Iqraam Rayners' first-half goal.
"I think the first half was very beautiful, a lot of control... we didn't get the second goal and the pressure comes," said Cardoso.
"But I think my players made a wonderful job, we are very proud, (it was) the first victory of an African team in the tournament."
Cardoso handed Themba Zwane his first start since September after injury, against Ulsan, who qualified through AFC confederation rankings.
Nicknamed "The Brazilians" because of their bright yellow shirts, akin to those of the five-time World Cup winners, Sundowns players showed some flair on the ball in the opening stages.
However it was Ulsan who should have taken the lead, when their Brazilian striker Erick Farias fired a fine chance just over the angle of post and bar.
Mamelodi thought they had taken the lead after the half-hour mark when Rayners bundled home from a corner, but the ball went in off his arm and it was disallowed.
However the South Africa international was not to be denied and he stroked his team in front after Lucas Ribeiro set him up.
Rayners had another goal disallowed for offside before the break as he picked away at the Ulsan defence.
Teboho Mokoena almost doubled Mamelodi's lead with a dipping free-kick but Jo Hyeon-woo tipped his effort to safety.
The South Koreans made inroads in the second half and forced Mamelodi back into their own territory in search of an equaliser.
Tashreeq Matthews broke loose on the counter for Mamelodi and drilled a good opportunity over the bar, but his team were still able to become the first African side to win a game at the tournament.
It was also their first victory in any version of the Club World Cup, after they lost both their matches in their only prior appearance, in 2016.
River Plate ease past Urawa
Seattle: River Plate overcame a spirited Urawa Red Diamonds 3-1 on Tuesday to make a strong start in Club World Cup Group E.
The Argentine side overpowered their Japanese opponents at Lumen Field under the Seattle sun, in an entertaining battle.
Under 12,000 fans attended the clash at the 69,000-capacity stadium but those who were there, many travelling from Japan and Argentina, created a vibrant atmosphere at both ends of the stadium.
"Thanks to all River fans, we knew it wasn't going to be easy to get all the way to here, it's a very long journey, there's no direct flights," said striker Facundo Colidio, who opened the scoring for River Plate.
"Nevertheless they made it, they were here and they were amazing with their support throughout the game...
"The venue was really tricky, it's not close to Argentina."
All six South American teams that have played in the expanded Club World Cup thus far have stayed undefeated.
Marcelo Gallardo's River started the stronger and took the lead when Colidio powered a header home from former Sevilla defender Marcos Acuna's cross.
The Red Diamonds played their way into the match and River goalkeeper Franco Armani was forced into an excellent save from Yusuke Matsuo, although he was offside.
New Real Madrid signing Franco Mastantuono almost created a second for River, with the 17-year-old teeing up Nacho Fernandez, but the midfielder's drive flew narrowly off target.
The Argentine, who will join Spanish giants Madrid after the tournament, was otherwise quieter than expected.
The Red Diamonds, who won the Asian Champions League in 2022 to qualify as the only Japanese team at the tournament, shot themselves in the foot at the start of the second half.
Marius Hoibraaten sent a foolish back-header towards goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa, without noticing Sebastian Driussi sneaking in behind.
The striker bravely nodded home past the helpless stopper but hurt himself as he fell and had to be replaced.
Matsuo pulled the Red Diamonds back into the game from the penalty spot after Acuna's ungainly mistimed barge on Takuro Kaneko, sending Armani the wrong way.
Maximiliano Meza put the game to bed for River with a header from Acuna's corner after he was left unmarked.
"Unfortunately we lost today but we're going to learn a lot and take that into the next match," said Matsuo.
Polish Urawa coach Maciej Skorza was unhappy with the defeat.
"The result is disappointing, what can I say?" he mused.
"We've done a lot of work, put in a lot of effort, and the beginning of this game was far from what we expected.
"The second half was better but the ease with which we conceded was too much."
Elsewhere in Group E Champions League runners-up Inter Milan face Mexican team Monterrey later Tuesday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
