Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Luiz Araujo scored and Jorginho had an assist in his Flamengo debut in a 2-0 win over Esperance Sportive de Tunis in their Group D opener of the Club World Cup at Philadelphia on Monday.
de Arrascaeta put the Brazilian club up 1-0 in the 17th minute, and Araujo extended the lead with Jorginho’s help in the 70th.
Agustin Rossi made two second-half saves for Flamengo.
Jorginho got the start after the former English Premier League midfielder was signed on June 6 from Arsenal after he and the team agreed to end his contract.
On Friday, Flamengo play Chelsea in Philadelphia while Esperance face Los Angeles FC in Nashville. Chelsea defeated LAFC 2-0 on Monday.
de Arrascaeta continued the form that has made him one of the best playmakers in Brazil’s domestic league where he has 13 goal contributions in nine matches. He has been nothing if not precise in his marksmanship with nine goals on 10 shots on target.
Therefore, he was the right person in the right spot for the layoff from Araujo and the Uruguayan first touched the service from 15 yards for the 1-0 lead.
The enthusiastic Flamengo supporters were still celebrating the goal when it nearly became 2-0 a minute later but Gerson’s shot was deftly saved by Ben Said.
Flamengo’s high pressing was too much for Esperance to get its attack going in the first half. Its lone shot attempt was blocked in the 25th minute.
Said prevented a two-goal deficit in the 52nd minute when he pushed aside a deflected shot by Pedro.
That gave Esperance a boost only to see the equalizer denied in the 67th when a Youcef Belaili shot was saved and three minutes later Jorghino set up Aruajo for a bending left-footed shot from the top right of the box to the far left corner.
Flamengo had a 12-6 advantage in total shots (4-2 in shots on target). The Brazilians wound up with 47 percent possession and Esperance 27 percent, and the ball was contested 26 percent of the time.
–Field Level Media
