Missed chances haunt River in stalemate against Monterrey

River Plate were held to a frustrating 0–0 draw against Monterrey at the Rose Bowl, a result that left the group wide open going into the final matchday. Despite dominating possession and chances, River couldn’t find a way past Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada, who delivered a standout performance to deny the Argentinians a crucial win.

River looked sharp in the opening 20 minutes, creating multiple half-chances through Franco Mastantuono and Paulo Díaz. Their pressing game forced Monterrey into early mistakes, but the finishing touch was missing. A header from Díaz just missed the target, and Mastantuono had a free kick well saved by Andrada.

Monterrey, in contrast, created little going forward. They sat deep, defended in numbers, and waited for counters that never truly materialized. River’s midfield trio of Enzo Pérez, De la Cruz, and Nacho Fernández controlled the tempo, but Monterrey’s low block proved hard to break.

In the 78th minute, River had their best chance when Miguel Borja broke free, but Andrada rushed out to smother the shot. The pressure mounted late on, especially after Monterrey’s Kevin Castaño was shown a second yellow and sent off in stoppage time. Even with the numerical advantage, River couldn’t capitalize.

The result felt like a missed opportunity. River remained unbeaten, but two dropped points meant they would face Inter Milan in the final group match with qualification still uncertain. Coach Gallardo acknowledged the frustration post-match: “We played the right game. We just lacked the goal.”