By Fernando Cardoso and Angelica Medina
SAO PAULO (Reuters) -The Los Angeles Chargers pulled off a stunning 27-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in a wild encounter at Corinthians Arena that launched the NFL’s international season with Brazilian flair but without pop superstar Taylor Swift.
The stadium packed with red and white Brazilian Chiefs fans created an electrifying atmosphere on a chilly night in Sao Paulo, where Colombian singer Karol G provided halftime entertainment in the league’s first international match of the season.
Justin Herbert got the Chargers rolling early, connecting with Quentin Johnson for a five-yard touchdown pass, with Cameron Dicker adding the extra point. While Patrick Mahomes struggled to get his Kansas City offense moving, Los Angeles extended their advantage when Dicker nailed a 39-yard field goal.
The Chiefs could muster only three points, courtesy of Harrison Butker’s kick at the start of the second quarter, leaving them trailing as Dicker added another field goal.
Butker managed a 59-yard field goal to reduce the deficit to 13-6 before halftime entertainment took center stage.
“I thought it was a two-halves passing game. In the first half, we were off a bit,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said in a post-game press conference. “We got to make sure that we start faster.”
The Chiefs finally found the end zone after the break, when Mahomes scrambled for an 11-yard touchdown run, but their comeback hopes took a hit when they failed to convert the extra point attempt.
Kansas City’s frustrations mounted when Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart was flagged for a personal foul after hitting Travis Kelce, adding to the topsy-turvy nature of the contest.
The back-and-forth continued as Kansas responded impressively with a 37-yard pass from Mahomes to Kelce for a touchdown, yet they failed to get the two-point conversion attempt.
The Chargers increased their lead again with a 23-yard Quentin Johnson touchdown, and though Mahomes and company tried to equalize, they only managed a 27-yard Butker field goal in the thrilling encounter.
“When you don’t come out and play with the right mindset, you get beat. The Chargers came out with the right mindset and we didn’t, so they beat us,” Mahomes told reporters post-game.
The victory marked a significant statement for the Chargers in their season opener, while the Chiefs’ struggles continued after hopes of a third consecutive Super Bowl title were dashed in a 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by William Mallard and Clarence Fernandez)
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