Inter Milan and Monterrey Progress to Club World Cup Last 16
Inter Milan and Monterrey booked their place in the Club World Cup last 16 after a wins in their last group stage matches played on Thursday morning.
Inter Milan got an 2-0 win over nine-man River Plate. The Italian side remained calm under pressure in front of 45,000 fans in Seattle and secured a deserved victory.
Teenage striker Francesco Esposito scored his first goal for Inter to give them the lead in the second half, before defender Alessandro Bastoni sealed the win late on. River Plate finished the game with nine players after red cards for Lucas Martinez and Gonzalo Montiel.
Inter, who were runners-up in last season’s UEFA Champions League, will now face Brazilian club Fluminense on Monday in Charlotte. Fluminense only managed a 0-0 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns but still qualified as Group F runners-up behind Borussia Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Mexican side Monterrey also advanced after a convincing 4-0 win over Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds. Monterrey scored three goals in the first half at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Nelson Deossa opened the scoring with a stunning long-range shot, followed by goals from German Berterame and Jesus Corona. Berterame added a fourth late on.
The result means Monterrey finish second in Group E behind Inter and will play Borussia Dortmund in the next round on Tuesday in Atlanta.
River Plate are now out of the competition, along with fellow Argentine club Boca Juniors, despite strong support from their fans. There were ugly scenes after the match as frustrated River fans threw objects at Inter players as they left the pitch.
“It’s a shame we couldn’t give our fans more to cheer about,” said River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo.
Inter coach Christian Chivu praised his team’s reaction after a difficult first half. “We were surprised by their intensity, but we raised our level and showed confidence,” he said.
With Inter and Monterrey progressing, the competition continues to heat up. On Thursday, Manchester City face Juventus in Group G, while Real Madrid take on RB Salzburg in Group H.
