Inter Milan Beat River Plate with Late Spate to Take Group E LeadershipInter Milan claimed Group E leadership of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 2-0 win over River Plate in Seattle, ending the Argentine giants' involvement and setting up a last-16 tie with Fluminense.

Nervy First Half, Missed Opportunities

The first-half meetings at Lumen Field were fiercely contested but lacking in serious scoring chances. River Plate's Franco Mastantuono came close to pulling off an upset with a low shot, only to see Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer match him with a low effort of his own. Inter then found their rhythm, and Lautaro Martínez and Francesco Pio Esposito both tested River, only to be foiled by desperate River defending and a dash of bad luck.

Turning Point: Red Card and Inter's Breakthrough

The face of the match changed just past the hour. River's Lucas Martínez Quarta was given his marching orders for hauling down Henrikh Mkhitaryan as the last man for River, reducing River to ten men. Inter profited seven minutes later: Mkhitaryan burst through on a turnover and passed for Esposito, who scored his very first Inter goal to give Inter the lead.

Bastoni Seals It, River's Frustration Boils Over

With River chasing the game and a man down, Inter controlled the latter stages. In injury time, Alessandro Bastoni capped a one-man show by shooting low under Franco Armani to seal the victory at 2-0 and leave the result beyond question. River's night was worse from terrible after Gonzalo Montiel was dismissed for a second yellow card after an altercation in the closing stages of the match.

Group E Final Standings and What's Next

Inter Milan pipped Group E with seven points, and Monterrey's 4-0 win against Urawa Red Diamonds boosted them ahead of River Plate to second. River, who had gone into the final round with a fair likelihood of qualification, were feeling pangs of what-might-have-been and a loss at the expense of their direct qualification rivals.

Inter face off against Fluminense in round 16, as will Monterrey against Borussia Dortmund. River Plate may have left, but their determination and the lively noise of their supporters created memories to last a lifetime in Seattle.

Key Quotes

"We've accomplished what we had to do. We've gotten to the next phase of this competition, and we're happy with that," Inter head coach Cristian Chivu stated. 

"The first half was very difficult for us; River were playing with enormous intensity and aggressiveness. In the second half, we managed to control the game more, and after the red card, the game was very simple for us."

Inter's late game pyrotechnics and River's desperation showcase the tight margins of the Club World Cup, with the competition entering its business end with a thrilling knockout phase looming.