Chivu's Sweet Transformation Gift for Inter Milan

SEATTLE, THURSDAY – Inter Milan's advancement to the round of 16 in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is a sweet gift for the team's transformation under the guidance of new coach Cristian Chivu. He has proven that his decision to place greater trust in young players was not mistaken.

Nineteen-year-old player, Francesco Esposito, inspired a 2-0 victory for Inter against River Plate in a crucial group stage match at Lumen Field Stadium, Seattle, United States, on Thursday (26/6/2025) morning WIB.

Chivu's arrival to replace Simone Inzaghi has brought a breath of fresh air to the team's transformation, which previously relied heavily on veteran players. Unlike Inzaghi, who was synonymous with players aged 30 and above, Chivu has done the opposite. He has transformed the squad by recruiting several young players, such as the Esposito brothers (Francesco and Sebastiano), Petar Sucic, Tomas Palacios, and Valentin Carboni.

The Club World Cup became a testing ground for Chivu with them. Carboni and Francesco Esposito, who were given the opportunity to play, ultimately repaid that trust. While Carboni became the hero of Inter's victory against Urawa Reds, Esposito emerged as the hero when Inter struggled to break through the disciplined defense of River Plate.

The match against River can be considered a matter of life or death for Inter. They must secure three points to ensure a place in the knockout stage. This is closely related to Monterrey's (5 points) victory over Urawa in another match. Therefore, both Inter and River, who have collected 4 points each, must win to accompany Monterrey in the round of 16 as representatives of Group E.

Instead of forcing the injured striker Marcus Thuram to play in such an important match, Chivu confidently appointed Esposito as the starting player. This decision is considered very bold, given that Inter struggled to score against Urawa without the presence of the striker duo Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez.

However, Chivu proved that his decision was not mistaken. Esposito became the hero of Inter's victory by scoring the opening goal in the 72nd minute. Before finding the net against River, the Inter players seemed to run out of ideas to score. Even Lautaro, who is experienced, failed to convert five opportunities.

"I am very happy for this child because he represents the entire journey of young academia. I met him when he was still in U-14, then we started collaborating again in U-19 and now he is in the main team," said Chivu when asked about Esposito's performance.

Esposito's goal demonstrated his maturity in making decisions and executing opportunities. At that time, Inter was in a favorable position in terms of player numbers as Lucas Quarta received a red card for fouling Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Without Esposito's well-executed play, Inter's numerical advantage might not have been maximized.

"This is a very tough match. Both teams are strong, but we played better. I am happy to be a part of a match like this. It is very difficult yet challenging," said Esposito.

Being left behind in the mission to win directly places a psychological burden on the players of River. Scoring an equalizing goal against Inter, who are the finalists of the UEFA Champions League, is not an easy task, especially since River has to play with 10 men.

In such conditions, feelings of frustration quickly arise. At the end of the match, River's left-back, Marcos Acuna, attempted to provoke Denzel Dumfries into receiving a red card. However, Dumfries refused to engage in the altercation.

The chaos that Acuna attempted to initiate instead became a double-edged sword. The River players lost focus during the additional time of the second half, allowing Alessandro Bastoni to double Inter's lead. Bastoni was able to move freely without significant pressure before unleashing a low shot. By the end of the match, the score remained 2-0 in favor of Inter.

This defeat resulted in River being eliminated as they only collected four points, finishing in third place. Inter and Monterrey are thus entitled to advance to the round of 16 representing Group E. In the next match, Inter will face Brazilian giant Fluminense, while Monterrey will be challenged by Borussia Dortmund. (AP)