Charlotte: Benfica defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 on Tuesday afternoon in the FIFA Club World Cup, thanks to an early goal by Andreas Schjelderup and a stellar performance from goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. The Group C match was played under intense heat, with temperatures nearing 97°F (36°C), and marked Benfica’s first-ever competitive win over the German giants.
The only goal of the game came in the 13th minute. Ángel Di María sent the ball wide to Fredrik Aursnes, who delivered a low cross into the box. Schjelderup met it perfectly, striking a first-time shot past Bayern’s Manuel Neuer. That early finish was enough to seal the win.
Trubin was key to Benfica’s clean sheet, making four crucial saves. His sharp reflexes denied Leroy Sané twice, once in the 51st and again in the 87th minute. He also stopped efforts from Thomas Müller and Aleksandar Pavlovic and benefited from a disallowed Joshua Kimmich goal, which was ruled offside due to Harry Kane obstructing the goalkeeper’s view.
Despite heavy squad rotation, Bayern had already secured a place in the knockout stage before this match. The loss dropped them to second in Group C. They will now face Flamengo, the Group D winner, on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Benfica, who topped Group C with seven points (2-0-1), now awaits the winner of Chelsea vs. Esperance de Tunis, set to play later Tuesday. That round-of-16 match will also take place in Charlotte this Saturday.
This game highlighted Benfica’s defensive strength and Bayern’s lack of finishing. It also underlined the physical challenge of playing in extreme summer conditions. The Portuguese side’s strong start and composure under pressure were crucial to advancing in the tournament.
