🔊 Friends, what a match awaits us in Pasadena! Perhaps the most thrilling encounter of the second round in every sense will take place at the Rose Bowl Stadium, where the leaders of Group E clash in a Latin American showdown: Argentina's River Plate and Mexico's Monterrey. A victory for River would virtually secure their spot in the Round of 16. However, Monterrey showed their mettle in the first round by drawing with Inter—one of the tournament favorites—proving they've come to the Club World Cup not just to participate, but to make an impact. Will this matchup live up to expectations and deliver a spectacular game? Below is our prediction for this face-off.

Head-to-Head

📊 The Club World Cup clash will mark the first official encounter between River Plate and Monterrey.

River Plate Team Overview

🔴 Marcelo Gallardo's side kicked off the tournament with a match against Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds. In the first half, the "Millionaires" dominated and created more chances, which led to a goal as early as the 12th minute. Facundo Colidio found the net following an assist from Marcos Acuña.

⚪ In the second half, after a defensive error by Urawa, River's other forward, Sebastián Driussi, doubled the lead. However, the Argentines let their guard down a bit and paid the price: in the 58th minute, the Japanese earned a penalty and reduced the deficit. River had to step up again to restore a comfortable lead. In the 73rd minute, after another corner from Acuña, midfielder Maximiliano Meza headed the ball into the net, sealing a 3-1 victory for River Plate.

CF Monterrey Team Overview

🔵 The "Striped" team kicked off their tournament journey against a formidable opponent – last season's Champions League finalist, Inter Milan. However, Domenec Torrent's players paid no heed to their opponent's status: in the first half, the Mexican side played boldly and even took the lead. None other than the "king of the air" and team captain Sergio Ramos made his mark, heading home after a delivery from Oliver Torres and directing the ball into the corner past Yann Sommer.

⚪ Nevertheless, Monterrey couldn't maintain their advantage – Inter equalized before the break with a cleverly executed free-kick. In the second half, both teams had their chances, but neither managed to alter the scoreline. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, reflecting the evenly matched contest.

Latest news

River Plate

🎙 Marcelo Gallardo shared his thoughts on his team's tournament opener: "It was crucial to start the tournament with a win and secure three points. We knew what we were up against – Urawa are a physically strong team, fighting for every ball and never letting their opponents breathe. We managed to find the net at key moments, and those goals gave the team confidence and control."

🔝 Forward Facundo Colidio was named the Man of the Match against Urawa Red Diamonds.

❌ Midfielder Santiago Simón might miss the game due to a muscle injury. Agustin Ruberto also remains sidelined with a knee injury.

CF Monterrey

🎙 Sergio Ramos shared his thoughts on the draw: “Inter had far more big names and were the favorites. It was crucial for us to make a statement. We are ready to compete against any team, and we’re here to showcase our best.”

🔝 Sergio Ramos was named the best player in the match against Inter in the first round.

❌ It's unlikely that center-back Carlos Salcedo will play, as he has just completed recovery from a cruciate ligament knee injury.

⚽ Goal Prediction

⚽ Goal Prediction

We're in for a heated Latin American showdown. Both sides boast players with extensive European experience, alongside World Cup champions. Let's not overlook the young talents within these teams. River features talents like Marcos Acuña, Gonzalo Montiel, Franco Mastantuono, and Sebastián Driussi. On the other side, we have World and European champion Sergio Ramos, along with seasoned top-tier players like Óliver Torres, Sergio Canales, and Lucas Ocampos. With such a lineup, it's hard to imagine a match without goals. Therefore, our prediction is for a total over 2.5 goals.

🚩 Corner Prediction

River Plate took one corner in their last match, from which they scored their third goal. Meanwhile, Monterrey delivered four corner kicks against Inter. Reviewing the last ten matches of the Argentines shows an average of 4.7 corners, while the Mexicans have a similar average of 4.3. The overall total of corners in River's matches stands at 7.3 deliveries, and for Monterrey, it's 8.6. Based on these statistics, a reasonable bet would be on total corners under 10.5.

If River Plate secure a victory in the upcoming match, it will mentally prepare them for their third-round clash against Inter, maintaining their position at the top of the table, as the showdown with the "Nerazzurri" is set to be their toughest group game. Monterrey, on the other hand, can also aim for advancement with a win, as they face the clear underdogs Urawa Red Diamonds in the third round. We anticipate both teams will find the back of the net, thus our prediction for the match is: both teams to score (yes). This bet has come through in eight of River Plate's last nine matches. The likely outcome is a 2-1 victory for the Argentine side.