Pasadena, Jun 22: CA River Plate squandered the opportunity to reach the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 knockout stages after they were held to a goalless draw by Monterrey at the Rose Bowl.

The Argentinian giants needed a victory to reach the Round of 16 but both sides struggled to make any chances in a game littered with fouls and breaks in play.

In an ill-tempered start to the game, three yellow cards were handed out in the first half-hour. Lacking any real fluidity, the best chance of the opening half came on the stroke of half-time when River Plate full-back Lucas Martinez Quarta found space after a corner only to side-foot a volley wide of the post with the goalmouth gaping.

After the break, River Plate wunderkind Franco Mastantuono brought the crowd to their feet with a curling effort in the 67th minute that was comfortably saved by Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada. The remainder of the game petered out to a draw, with River Plate midfielder Kevin Castano sent off in injury time after picking up a second yellow card, FIFA reports.

The draw sets up an exciting final matchday in Group E next Wednesday. River Plate face FC Internazionale Milano in a crunch top-of-the-table clash at Lumen Field, while Monterrey meet the already-eliminated Urawa Red Diamonds back at the Rose Bowl.

Elsewhere, Fluminense FC scored three second-half goals to beat Ulsan HD and earn all three points at MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey. The loss eliminates Ulsan from the FIFA Club World Cup after they were also beaten in their opening encounter with Mamelodi Sundowns FC.

The match began with Fluminense dominating possession as Ulsan were content to sit back and defend. The Brazilian side finally broke through in the 27th minute, when Jhon Arias curled a free-kick from 24 yards into the top right corner to beat goalkeeper Jo Hyeonwoo for a 1-0 lead.

It was the third free-kick goal of the tournament, with Arias joining CF Pachuca's Bryan Gonzalez and Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi.

Ulsan equalised with the most surprising counter-attack. They capitalised on a Fluminense giveaway with surgical precision, with Um Wonsang making a long run and sending a hard cross to the far post to Lee Jinhyun, who beat goalkeeper Fabio from the sharpest of angles to make it 1-1. It was Ulsan's first shot of the game.

Suddenly, the Korea Republic side were on the front foot. They applied pressure on the Fluminense backline and struck again just before the break. After Fluminense failed to completely clear the ball out of their area, Lee swung a cross to Um, whose diving header in the box beat Fabio for a 2-1 lead.

Fluminense levelled in the 66th minute. Milosz Trojak tried to clear Keno’s cross, but the ball stayed in the box and fell to Nonato, who calmly tucked his right-footed strike inside the right post to make it 2-2.

Fluminense regained the lead in the 83rd minute. With a scrambling Ulsan defence unable to clear the ball, substitute German Cano drove a cross to Juan Freytes, whose first-time finish beat Jo for a 3-2 advantage.

Both teams will play their final group match on Wednesday, 25 June. Fluminense will meet Mamelodi Sundowns at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, while Ulsan will take on Borussia Dortmund at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.

(IANS)

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