River Plate, Monterrey and Inter – Explaining the complicated Club World Cup permutations to decide group E

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Qualification for the knockout stages of the Club World Cup from group E will go down to the wire after Monterrey held River Plate to a 0-0 draw at the Rose Bowl.

Gonzalo Martinez volleyed the best chance of the first half wide for River Plate and Gerardo Arteaga cleared off the line in the second half after goalkeeper Esteban Andrada was caught out by a cross.

Andrada race out of his goal to deny substitute Miguel Borja on 75 minutes and blocked the striker’s effort again ten minutes later.

In a game that was marked by tactical fouls, Kevin Castano was sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card after being the latest player to stop a counter-attack by fouling.

The result means River Plate and Inter Milan, who face each other in the last round, are on four points, with Monterrey two points back and playing the eliminated Urawa Red Diamonds.

Here The Athletic’s Jack Lang and Felipe Cardenas analyse the key talking points.

Which two teams will reach the knockouts?

Right from the start of this match, you sensed that Monterrey would be happy with a draw. They had, after all, held Inter here earlier in the week — not a colossal shock, but an incredibly welcome result. With Urawa Red Diamonds in their final group fixture, two points from two tricky matches has to be regarded as an excellent return.

For River, this was a chance to book a place in the round of 16. They played with the greater urgency throughout, albeit to little effect in the final third. Their clash with Inter in Seattle next Wednesday now looks like a potential classic: a knockout clash in all but name.

If River win, they progress. Same for Inter. If either of those scenarios plays out, Monterrey would progress with a victory of their own against Urawa. If Monterrey fail to win, they go out and both Inter and River go through regardless the result in Seattle.

Things get more complicated if Inter and River draw. If they do, and Monterrey win, all three teams will be level on five points. The first tiebreaker — results in matches between the sides — will not settle it, since all the games would have been drawn. Ditto goal difference in the matches between them.

It would go to goals scored in the three draws. Monterrey have one goal from their two so far. River have zero from one, Inter one from one. Logically, then, a draw of any form would be good enough for Inter. A 0-0 in that game and Monterrey would go through (assuming they beat Urawa). 2-2 and above, and River would go through with Inter regardless of the Monterrey result.

If it finishes 1-1, it will go to group goal difference between River and Monterrey, meaning the latter would have to beat Urawa by three clear goals to progress at River’s expense. If not, it comes down to group goals scored. 2-0 wouldn’t be enough but any other two-goal win would be.

Clear? Thought not.

Jack Lang

Did River miss their focal point in attack?

It was a moment of joy and it was a moment of loss. The ball looped off Sebastian Driussi’s head and into the net, extending River’s lead in their tournament opener against Uruwa Red Diamonds. The River supporters celebrated wildly. Driussi didn’t; he had gone over on his ankle, spraining it badly. He watched the rest of the match from the bench but had to be carried off by a member of River’s security staff at full time.

It turned out to be as bad as feared. The forward is expected to miss the rest of the tournament, even if River go deep. It was a massive blow, not just because Driussi is a classy operator but because he combines so tidily with those around him. “We had just found an attacking system that was working well,” River coach Marcelo Gallardo lamented in an interview with ESPN Argentina on Friday.

Here, Gallardo replaced Driussi with the experienced Maxi Meza and played Facundo Colidio through the middle. He wasn’t sure if it would work — he told ESPN that Colidio doesn’t enjoy playing with his back to goal — and, sure enough, it didn’t. Colidio, man of the match against Urawa, struggled to get much change out of Sergio Ramos and John Medina in the first half.

Ramos shackles Colidio (Photo: Sean M. Haffey – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Things improved a little after the break. Colidio drifted left more, into his favoured areas. It was no great surprise, though, when Gallardo turned to Miguel Borja — a far more conventional No 9 — with 20 minutes to go. The Colombian gave River more presence in the area, plus pace in behind. There is surely now a good chance he will start in River’s final game, against Inter on Wednesday.

Jack Lang

How did Mastantuono play?

Former River Plate and Argentina fullback Juan Pablo Sorin is an analyst for DAZN Espanol. In the first half, after Franco Mastantuono shimmied past two Monterrey defenders and smashed a left-footed shot toward goal (it deflected for a corner), Sorin described the Real Madrid signing’s attitude on Saturday night as: “Es la rebeldia de la juventud.” It’s the rebellion of youth, said Sorin.

Real Madrid fans watching must be salivating. In a scoreless first half that was mired by tactical fouls, Mastantuono’s energetic play and silky left foot stood out. In the second 45 minutes, Mastantuono continued to impress. The 17-year-old knows that the spotlight is on him at the Club World Cup. He’s still raw and far from a finished product, but rather than shrinking under the pressure to perform, the Argentine playmaker is growing before our eyes.

Mastantuono continues to impress (Photo: Hugo Rivera/Jam Media/Getty Images)

The excitement he displayed led to him overhitting his set pieces and his final ball needs work. What has Real Madrid fans eager to see him in the club’s all white strip is Mastantuono’s unflinching style of play. It’s early days, but Mastantuono has shown that he had the mindset of a real competitor.

Felipe Cardenas

Can Torrent get Monterrey scoring?

After two matches under new manager Domenec Torrent, Monterrey have shown a hardened mindset and a commitment to defending. Unfortunately, the Mexican side have generated very little in the attack. On Saturday, starting No 9 German Berterame was subbed off in the 64th minute after 11 touches and no shots.

Midfield creator Sergio Canales showed that his workrate at 34 years of age is noteworthy, but the former Real Betis star did little more when he was in possession.

Monterrey left fullback Arteaga told The Athletic last week that Torrent’s tactics are fairly cut and dry. “He’s someone who really likes to have possession, to control the ball,” Arteaga said. “He likes to play out from the back, no long balls. And defensively, he wants us to press — press really high, be aggressive.”

A former assistant to Pep Guardiola, Torrent, who made his Monterrey debut against Inter Milan on June 17, has turned up the intensity in training, a trait that was apparent against River Plate. But Monterrey has to find a way to hurt teams with the ball. Their lone goal of the tournament came from defender Sergio Ramos, whose header off a corner kick drew first blood versus the Italians. For Monterrey, the effort is there but the football is lacking.

Felipe Cardenas

What next for River Plate?

Wednesday, June 25: Inter, Club World Cup (Seattle), 9pm ET, 2am Thursday UK

What next for Monterrey?

Wednesday, June 25: Urawa Red Diamonds, Club World Cup (Los Angeles), 9pm ET, 2am Thursday UK

You can sign up to DAZN to watch every FIFA Club World Cup game for free

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