Marcos Acuna loses his head as River Plate exit the Club World Cup fighting in defeat by Inter

River Plate exited the Club World Cup in extraordinary fashion, having two players sent off and seeing Marcos Acuna dragged to the ground by a group including Inter coach Cristian Chivu as the defender attempted to pursue Denzel Dumfries down the tunnel after a 2-0 defeat.

The outcome of group E effectively came down to a three-team table between Monterrey, River Plate and Inter, with the latter two drawing 0-0 at the break and the Mexican team winning comfortably meaning River had to win the match in Seattle.

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Facundo Colidio headed their best chance of the game into the arms of Yann Sommer midway through the second half and when Inter countered, Lucas Quarta brought down Henrikh Mkhitaryan as the last man and was sent off, adding to River’s awful disciplinary record at the tournament.

Francesco Pio Esposito sealed Inter’s progress against the ten men after 71 minutes when he received the ball with his back to goal on the left side of the box, opened his body up and fired into the opposite corner before Alessandro Bastoni.

Acuna is wrestled to the ground after pursuing Dumfries (Photo: JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images)

River had Gonzalo Montiel sent off at the death for a second yellow card as the match ended with Inter players running off the pitch showered by items from the stands and followed by a furious Acuna until he was restrained by Chivu and players from both sides.

Here The Athletic’s Jack Lang, James Horncastle and Ed Mackey break down what happened.

Why did Acuna lose his head at full-time?

Of all the players most likely to let his temper boil over, Marcos Acuna emerged as comfortably the most likely. Clearly still perturbed by the decision to send Quarta off, he made it his personal mission to wind up the Inter players.

The issue, however, was that he was becoming the most frustrated player on the pitch. And with the game in its fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, Acuna picked a fight with Denzel Dumfries, a man far too streetwise to get sucked into such an incredibly pointless altercation.

Acuna escaped any action but team-mate Montiel was given a second yellow card for remonstrating with referee Ilgiz Tantashev from Uzbekistan and touching his arm.

Acuna would not let it go and while Dumfries was smiling as the game continued, but the referee’s full-time whistle gave Acuna reason to go back for more.

Dumfries immediately raced towards the tunnel but was chased most of the way by Acuna.

In the end, a combination of his own team-mate Franco Armani, Inter manager Christian Chivu and midfielder Nicolo Barella dragged the Argentine left-back to the floor.

While Dumfries was showered by anything the River Plate supporters could get their hands on as he disappeared down the tunnel.

A pretty ugly end to a disappointing tournament for River Plate.

CUATRO HOMBRES AGARRANDO A ACUÑA 🤯

Y DUMFRIES SIENDO DESPEDIDO CON LANZAMIENTO DE PALOS 😱 TREMENDO FINAL DEL INTER 🆚 RIVER PLATE @FIFACWC | Todos los partidos gratis en https://t.co/OFe1FpBGjK #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld 🔗 https://t.co/SAzl1Q3bcE pic.twitter.com/eREHHHy4iI — DAZN España (@DAZN_ES) June 26, 2025

Ed Mackey

How did River’s aggression hurt them even before Acuna’s explosion?

River’s starting XI here was testament to the fact that this team likes to play right on the edge. Marcelo Gallardo’s entire first-choice midfield was suspended — Kevin Castano for his red card against Monterrey on Saturday, Enzo Perez and Giuliano Galoppo for picking up two bookings in the first two group matches. Whatever you make of the disciplinary rules, you would have to call that careless.

Was there to be a change of approach here? Was there hell. There were only 15 seconds on the clock when Matias Kranevitter — one of the midfield stand-ins — absolutely clattered Kristjan Asllani, leaving the Inter man limping and cursing.

Quarta earns his red card (Photo: Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

It was to be just the first of a series of bruising encounters. Gonzalo Montiel lunged in on Francesco Acerbi, earning a yellow card. Lucas Martinez Quarta went through the back of Lautaro Martinez. Marcos Acuna, tasked with marking Denzel Dumfries, interpreted the job in such a way that the Dutchman should probably consider a restraining order.

Inter, in fairness, did not wilt. A couple of their players gave as good as they got: Asllani crunched Rodrigo Aliendro; Acerbi seemed to be loving every second of his rolling battle with Miguel Borja.

Acuna holds onto Dumfries during a battle that exploded (Photo: Justin Setterfield – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

There is a place for physicality in football, maybe even for intimidation. Indiscipline, though, is a bigger sin. Quarta’s red card, just after the hour mark, was an act of desperation rather than violence, but it still put a sizeable nail into River’s coffin here. Montiel followed at the end. And then came Acuna.

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When Gallardo reflects on this tournament, he will surely see the suspensions from the Monterrey game as a great regret.

Jack Lang

Who is Esposito?

Full respect to Inter coach Christian Chivu for his novel management of the Esposito brothers in this tournament. The older sibling, Sebastiano, started Inter’s first two games. He performed solidly enough but missed key chances, most notably a close-range sitter against Monterrey.

With Marcus Thuram still out injured, he didn’t have many options. One was the younger Esposito, Francesco Pio. One in, one out, a family affair. It could hardly have been neater.

Esposito celebrates scoring his first Inter goal (Photo: Mattia Pistoia – Inter/Inter via Getty Images)

It could hardly have worked better, either. Esposito Jr was excellent here, holding the ball up superbly throughout, allowing Inter’s defence and midfield to move up the field whenever he had the ball. And when the chance to kill River off came, he did not err, guiding a confident finish home in the dying stages.

The conclusion? If you have no luck with one brother, just play the other.

Jack Lang

Are Inter contenders?

Inter’s treble-winning team has got behind their teammate Chivu ever since he took over from Simone Inzaghi. In their WhatsApp group, they have told him that they’re all there in spirit with him in the dugout. That was the mentality of a successful team.

Chivu believes he is at the helm of one now. When asked if he needs to pick Inter up after their 5-0 defeat to PSG in the Champions League final, he said: “There are proper players here, proper champions. They always bring more out of each other. There are times when you have to eat a bit of shit, times when you have to chew it good, look in the mirror and accept it.”

Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final Match 49: June 28, 12pm ET Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Palmeiras Botafogo Match 50: June 28, 4pm ET Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte Benfica Chelsea Match 53: June 30, 3pm ET Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte Winner Group E Fluminense Match 54: June 30, 9pm ET Camping World Stadium, Orlando Winner Group G Runner-up Group H Match 51: June 29, 12pm ET Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Paris Saint-Germain Inter Miami Match 52: June 29, 4pm ET Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Flamengo Bayern Munich Match 55: July 1, 3pm ET Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Winner Group H Runner-up Group G Match 56: July 1, 9pm ET Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Borussia Dortmund Runner-up Group E Match 58: July 4, 9pm ET Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Winner of match 49 Winner of match 50 Match 57: July 4, 3pm ET Camping World Stadium, Orlando Winner of match 53 Winner of match 54 Match 59: July 5, 12pm ET Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Winner of match 51 Winner of match 52 Match 60: July 5, 4pm ET MetLife Stadium, New Jersey Winner of match 55 Winner of match 56 Match 61: July 8, 3pm ET MetLife Stadium, New Jersey Winner of match 58 Winner of match 57 Match 62: July 9, 3pm ET MetLife Stadium, New Jersey Winner of match 59 Winner of match 60 Match 63: July 13, 3pm ET MetLife Stadium, New Jersey Winner of match 61 Winner of match 62

Inter did that after Munich and tentatively seem to be coming through the other side. Chivu has rotated quite aggressively this tournament. He has mostly been without Marcus Thuram. He has blooded youngsters and they have come up big for him. Valentin Carboni got the winner against Urawa Red Diamonds, Esposito, a player Chivu coached at Under-14 level, then did the business against River.

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“He has all the future in front of him,” said Chivu afterwards.

James Horncastle

What are the last-16 games so far?

Saturday June 28

Palmeiras v Botafogo

Benfica v Chelsea

Sunday June 29

PSG v Inter Miami

Flamengo v Bayern

Monday June 30

Inter v Fluminense

Winner Group G v Runner-up Group H

Tuesday July 1

Borussia Dortmund v Monterrey

Winner Group H v Runner-up Group G

(Photo: Steph Chambers – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

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