Sergio Ramos' Monterrey fortunate to draw with Franco Mastantuono's River Plate in Club World Cup, setting up decisive group stage finale

Neither River Plate nor Monterrey could find the back of the net in a tightly contested 0-0 draw at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, leaving Group E of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup wide open ahead of the final matchday.

It was River Plate who looked more threatening in the opening stages. A promising early chance came from a free kick just outside the box, where young talent Franco Mastantuono curled a shot toward the top corner. Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada, however, was up to the task, producing a spectacular save to keep his side level.

River nearly broke through again before the break when Lucas Martínez Quarta found himself with a golden opportunity inside the six-yard box. He rounded Andrada but couldn’t keep his shot on target, sending the ball wide of the far post.

After halftime, River continued to press. Mastantuono once again came close, breaking into the box with a clever run and firing a shot that was only denied by Andrada's quick reflexes. The Monterrey keeper ended the night as one of the standout performers, with five crucial saves.

Monterrey, while more cautious in attack, remained solid at the back but created little going forward. In the dying minutes, River were reduced to 10 men after Kevin Castaño was shown a second yellow card for a heavy tackle on Nelson Deossa.

The draw keeps River Plate on top of Group E with four points, but their path to the next round is far from secure, with a decisive match against Inter Milan looming at Seattle’s Lumen Field. Monterrey, currently third with two points, will look to clinch a place in the knockout round when they face Urawa Reds — a team already eliminated — back at the Rose Bowl.

Here is the attendance at the Rose Bowl so far:

In a tightly-contested match, it was goalkeeper Esteban Andrada who made the difference for Monterrey in their goalless draw against River Plate. The Argentine shot-stopper delivered a standout performance, keeping a clean sheet with four key saves as River pushed hard for a victory.

Los Millonarios fired 17 total shots, with five on target, but none were able to get past Andrada, who stood firm to secure a valuable point for La Pandilla. His composure and reflexes under pressure were crucial in keeping Monterrey's hopes alive heading into the final week of the group stage.

River Plate: It's hard to say who came out as the bigger loser at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night. Both River Plate and Monterrey remain unbeaten at the Club World Cup, but the 0-0 draw does little to move either side closer to securing a place in the knockout stage.

While River Plate now lead Group E with four points, they may actually find themselves in a tougher spot than Rayados. The Argentine club will face Inter Milan in the final group match - and with a win, the Italian side could qualify outright, without needing to depend on the result between Monterrey and Urawa Reds. That means Inter, the reigning Champions League runner-up, will come out with full intensity against River.

On the other hand, Domenec Torrent's Monterrey still haven’t picked up a win and will be under pressure to deliver three points against Urawa Reds. Fortunately for the Mexican side, they’ll face the group’s weakest team - on paper - and one that will likely already be eliminated by then.

Monterrey will face Urawa Reds next Wednesday at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, while River Plate will close out the group stage against Inter Milan at Lumen Field in Seattle. Both teams need to pick up points, but Rayados must win to stay in contention. There's no room for error.