South America is untouchable at the start of the Club World Cup! The Brazilians and Argentinians (Botafogo, Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense, Boca Juniors) remain undefeated, and now they’ve been joined by River Plate. With quality, experience, and a spark of pride ignited even before kickoff, the giant from Buenos Aires swept aside Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds with a 3–1 win.The Club World Cup is providing us with some spicy drama. Urawa Reds Captain ,Marius Hoibraten, doesn’t shake any River Plate players hand pregame.#FIFACWC #CWC #ClubWorldCup pic.twitter.com/lbWEY8iGXK— Favian Renkel (@FavianRenkel) June 17, 2025 A move that has the entire football world buzzing—a gesture unworthy of a global tournament—only further motivated Los Millonarios and flipped the karma against the 2022 Asian champions. Urawa’s captain, Marius Hoibraten, instead of offering a handshake before the match, rudely walked past the River Plate starting eleven without greeting them, while his teammates politely shook hands. At first, River’s players looked at him in disbelief, but Marcelo Gallardo’s men quickly realized the Norwegian’s intention: to provoke them. They didn’t take the bait, nor risk a red card by confronting the 30-year-old. Instead, they simply played their football—and with three headed goals, they shattered the Japanese side’s defensive wall.Colidio | 🇦🇷 River Plate 1-0 Urawa 🇯🇵pic.twitter.com/XHyXgxViG3— Goals Xtra (@GoalsXtra) June 17, 2025 River did exactly what they needed to ahead of matches against Monterrey and Inter in rounds two and three. Marcelo Gallardo’s River started the stronger and took the lead when striker Facundo Colidio powered a header home from former Sevilla defender Marcos Acuna’s cross. The Red Diamonds played their way into the match and River goalkeeper Franco Armani was forced into an excellent save from Yusuke Matsuo, although he was offside. New Real Madrid signing Franco Mastantuono almost created a second for River, with the 17-year-old teeing up Nacho Fernandez, but the midfielder’s drive flew narrowly off target. The Argentine, who will join Spanish giants Madrid after the tournament, was otherwise quieter than expected.River Plate take a 2-goal leadAconia scored two goals todayRiver Plate 3-1 Urawa#fifa #UrawaRedDiamonds #RiverPlate pic.twitter.com/sNWMjXW4li— FOOTZONE | ENGLISH (@footzoneeng) June 17, 2025 The Red Diamonds, who won the Asian Champions League in 2022 to qualify as the only Japanese team at the tournament, came undone at the start of the second half. Marius Hoibraaten sent a foolish back-header towards goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa, without noticing Sebastian Driussi sneaking in behind. The striker bravely nodded home past the helpless stopper but hurt himself as he fell and had to be replaced. Matsuo pulled the Red Diamonds back into the game from the penalty spot after Acuna’s ungainly mistimed barge on Takuro Kaneko, sending Armani the wrong way. Maximiliano Meza put the game to bed for River with a header from Acuna’s corner after he was left unmarked. Elsewhere in Group E Champions League runners-up Inter Milan face Mexican team Monterrey later Tuesday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP 2025Matchday 1TuesdayBoca Juniors – Benfica 2-2 (2-1)/Merentiel 21, Battaglia 27 – Di Maria 45+3 pen, Otamendi 84/Flamengo – Esperance 2-0 (1-0)/De Arrascaeta 17, Araujo 70/Fluminense – Dortmund 0-0River Plate – Urawa RD 3-1 (1-0)/Colidio 12, Druissi 48, Meza 73 – Matsuo 58(p)/Wednesday00:55: (2.90) Ulsan (3.15) Mamelodi (2.55)04:00: (5.90) Monterrey (4.00) Inter Milan (1.58)19:00: (1.07) Manchester City (13.0) Wydad Casablanca (25.0)22:00: (1.33) Real Madrid (5.90) Al Hilal (9.50)Thursday00:55: (2.85) Pachuca (3.35) Salzburg (2.50)04:00: (12.0) Al Ain (6.50) Juventus (1.22)***odds are subject to change***
