Chivu`s team delivered a high-level performance in the second half: River Plate was reduced to ten men (Martinez Quarta sent off), and the Nerazzurri`s young star scored a superb striker`s goal, followed by the defender`s second.
This is Chivu`s Inter. They dominated River Plate, witnessed the rising star of Pio Esposito, and secured first place, advancing to the Club World Cup round of 16. Their next opponent on Monday, June 30th, at 9 PM Italian time in Charlotte, will be Fluminense, featuring former AC Milan player Thiago Silva. It was an undeniable victory for Lautaro and his teammates. While River Plate competed intensely, Inter’s technical prowess consistently mirrored their best performances of recent years. Pio Esposito and Bastoni scored their goals in the second half, shortly after River received their first red card. Even with equal numbers, Inter`s superiority was evident; the much-feared Mastantuono was largely ineffective. This kind of performance is truly the way to put the disappointment of Monaco behind them.
Lautaro: `Dumfries and Acuña? These things happen.`
First Half
Finally, it felt like a true World Cup match, not just a summer friendly, but a highly competitive encounter. River Plate immediately intensified the physical aspect, with manager Gallardo instructing man-to-man marking, especially in midfield, where their three players tightly shadowed Barella, Asllani, and Mkhitaryan. And where they couldn`t intercept, River`s “Millionaires” used their bodies, even the slightest contact, to disrupt the ball. And Inter? They met the challenge, perhaps echoing Chivu`s pre-match press conference suggestion to “eat dirt,” a comment that had caused a stir. No one backed down; even Pio Esposito, making his first start, engaged physically with both Diaz and Martinez Quarta. Mastantuono was the key player to watch. Bastoni committed a foul and received a yellow card, but despite a run by the young player following a poorly taken Inter corner, the overall threats were quite limited. In fact, River Plate had more reason to be wary. When the Nerazzurri managed to accelerate their build-up, they found space to attack towards Armani. By the end of the first half, Inter had created the best chances: in the 26th minute, Pio Esposito, set up by Barella, saw his powerful shot deflected for a corner by Martinez Quarta. Then, in the 32nd minute, Lautaro shot wide with his left foot after an assist from Mkhitaryan. Meanwhile, news from Los Angeles wasn`t good for River, as Monterrey was dominating Urawa.
Second Half
Gallardo surely discussed this with his team at halftime. River needed to score to advance, meaning they had to take risks. That was the theory. In practice, however, Inter gained even more control of the midfield and, consequently, the match. Gallardo`s side dropped deeper but never found effective counter-attacks. Inter, meanwhile, accumulated chances: first, an unfortunate own-post by Acuña in a desperate attempt to recover against Lautaro, then Dimarco shot wide with his left foot, and Lautaro was again denied by Armani. River Plate was largely a spectator, while Inter displayed their finest football since Chivu took charge. The last Argentine threat was a timid header from Colidio, assisted by Lanzini. Mastantuono remained invisible. Chivu made his substitutions, bringing on Carlos Augusto and Sucic for the fatigued Barella and Dimarco. The turning point arrived midway through the second half: Martinez Quarta made a significant error, miscontrolling the ball and then bringing down Mkhitaryan, who was clear on goal, resulting in a straight red card for denying a clear scoring opportunity. Inter`s goal was only a matter of time. It came in the 67th minute, thanks to Sucic, who expertly found Pio Esposito inside the box. The young forward made a genuine striker`s movement and scored his first Inter goal with a right-footed shot. The rest of the match was chaotic. Technically inferior, River Plate had no means to overturn the result and resorted to targeting the legs of the Nerazzurri players. The game ended in a brawl, with Montiel receiving a second yellow card, and Acuña first confronting the Inter bench before chasing Dumfries down the tunnel. In the interim, Bastoni had sealed the 2-0 victory with a left-footed strike from the edge of the box, a result of his excellent individual play. It was a thoroughly deserved win for Chivu; his Inter truly blossomed in Seattle.
Inter-River Plate: Pio Esposito`s Goal Drives Fans Wild on Social Media.
