Mexico falls before River Plate in the closing of its friendly tour by South America

Mexico concluded its South American tour with a 2-0 loss to River Plate in a friendly match. The Argentine club, preparing for the local league season, showcased its new signings, while the Mexican team, featuring a makeshift squad, struggled despite a solid performance in their previous match against Internacional de Porto Alegre.

Jan 22, 2025 - 06:46
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Mexico falls before River Plate in the closing of its friendly tour by South America
Guillermo Martínez de México, izquierda, Lucas Martínez Quarta de River Plate disputan la pelota durante un amistoso en el estadio Monumental de Buenos Aires, Argentina, martes 21 de enero, 2025.

México concluded its South American tour with a 2-0 defeat in a friendly against Argentina's River Plate, who showcased their new signings ahead of the upcoming local league season starting next weekend.

Midfielder Giuliano Galoppo and Colombian forward Miguel Borja scored the goals on Tuesday at Buenos Aires' Monumental Stadium, which was filled to its nearly 90,000-seat capacity.

The Mexican national team embarked on their South American journey with a second-string squad, as their overseas-based stars were unavailable. Additionally, Mexican clubs only agreed to release a maximum of two players per team, citing the non-FIFA date.

While Mexico passed its first test with a 2-0 win over Internacional de Porto Alegre, it was defeated by the Argentine side, leaving Coach Javier Aguirre with work to do. Aguirre faces the challenge of assembling a competitive roster ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

River, which invested nearly 20 million dollars in new signings for the upcoming season, including right-back Gonzalo Montiel—who scored the decisive penalty that secured Argentina's third World Cup title in Qatar—dominated their opponent, particularly in the first half, and deserved a more significant victory.

Galoppo, another of the new signings, opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a powerful left-footed shot from a corner kick.

Maximiliano Meza dribbled past several Mexican players before stumbling just outside the box, allowing Borja to seize the ball and fire it into the top corner in the 33rd minute.

In the second half, River's coach made almost complete substitutions, which resulted in a loss of intensity. This shift allowed Mexico to control possession and advance into the opposition's half, though they failed to create any real danger.

Mexico's next official match is on March 20 against Canada in the Nations League semifinals.

River, on the other hand, will begin their local Apertura campaign on Saturday against Platense.

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