Inter Milan kept their cool to beat nine-man River Plate 2-0 and reach the Club World Cup last 16, while Mexican side Monterrey followed them through from Group E. The Italian giants will face Fluminense in the next round, while Monterrey will take on Borussia Dortmund.
In Seattle, Inter Milan faced a tough battle against an aggressive River Plate side, but ultimately emerged victorious thanks to goals from Francesco Esposito and Alessandro Bastoni. The match was marked by controversy, with River Plate’s Lucas Martinez and Gonzalo Montiel being sent off, and ugly scenes at the end as River fans threw objects at Inter players leaving the pitch.
Despite their fans creating a vibrant atmosphere, River Plate’s elimination means that both Argentine teams at the tournament, River and Boca Juniors, have been knocked out. “It’s a shame for all the people who came en masse to watch the team that we couldn’t give them the chance to keep going,” said disappointed River coach Marcelo Gallardo.
Meanwhile, Monterrey sealed their place in the last 16 with a 4-0 thrashing of Urawa Red Diamonds at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Nelson Deossa, German Berterame, and Jesus Corona scored the goals, with Berterame striking twice. Monterrey will now face Borussia Dortmund, who topped Group F after beating Ulsan HD 1-0.
The win marked a confident performance from Monterrey, with Berterame praising his team’s efforts. “This is what we were looking for, we gave everything — from the first match until this one, they’ve all been tough,” he said. The match between Monterrey and Dortmund is set to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams looking to progress to the next round.
In other matches, Fluminense drew 0-0 with Mamelodi Sundowns but still managed to claim second place in Group F, while Borussia Dortmund topped the group with their win over Ulsan HD. The Club World Cup continues to heat up, with Manchester City set to face Juventus on Thursday in a battle for top spot in Group G, and Real Madrid taking on RB Salzburg in Group H.
