River Plate secured a 3–1 victory against Inter Milan at the Inter Miami sports complex, advancing to the Gold Cup bracket of the youth tournament organized by Lionel Messi. Goals from Heraldo Fiorotto via a penalty, Ignacio Serra, and Jorge Sosa carried the defending champions to the top of Group A with seven points.
How Group A Finished
Heading into the final group fixtures, River needed a strong performance following a draw against Chelsea in their debut and a win over Ajax. Martín Pellegrino’s squad delivered against the Italian side, while Ajax defeated Chelsea in the other group fixture to ensure the Dutch side also advanced alongside the Millonario.
Alessandro Parisi scored the lone goal for Inter Milan, but it wasn’t enough to stop the reigning champions from maintaining control of the match. Despite playing three matches in three days and rotating heavily in the second half to manage fatigue, River’s youth squad leaned on their technical depth to seal the result.
Quarterfinal Matchup Against Flamengo
River now moves on to face Brazilian side Flamengo in the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup. The knockout stage fixture is scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, starting at 11:00 a.m. Argentine time, at the Inter Miami training facility.
The winner of the quarterfinal clash will earn a spot in the tournament semifinals, with a scheduled rest day before the next round if they advance. On the opposite side of the bracket, Boca Juniors also secured qualification for the Gold Cup, leaving open the possibility of a Superclásico final.
Gold Cup Quarterfinals Pair Youth Academies
The Gold Cup quarterfinals feature four distinct matchups pairing elite youth academies from South America and Europe:
- River Plate vs. Flamengo
- Atlético de Madrid vs. Barcelona
- Palmeiras vs. Benfica
- Boca Juniors vs. Ajax
When Did River Win and Who Scored Goals?
When did River win their previous title in this tournament?
Martín Pellegrino’s squad claimed the inaugural title of the youth competition in 2025.
Who scored River’s goals against Inter Milan?
Heraldo Fiorotto scored from the penalty spot, followed by goals from Ignacio Serra and Jorge Sosa.
Where are the Messi Cup matches being played?
The tournament matches take place at the Inter Miami sports complex in Florida.
