River Plate Defeats Millonarios in Preseason Friendly in Montevideo
Millonarios and River Plate faced off this Sunday at the gran Parque central stadium in Montevideo, marking the start of their respective preseasons. River plate emerged victorious with a 1-0 win, despite a cautious performance from both sides.
The highly anticipated debut of Radamel Falcao García for Millonarios did not materialize, as the veteran striker was not included in the lineup, even as a substitute. Only two of Millonarios’ recent signings – Mateo García and Carlos Darwin Quintero – featured in the starting eleven,with Sebastián Valencia,Rodrigo Ureña,and Julián Angulo available off the bench. The paperwork for new Argentine signing Rodrigo Contreras is still pending, preventing his official inclusion in the squad.
On the river Plate side, Colombian internationals Kevin Castaño and Juan Fernando Quintero were confirmed as starters, bolstering their credentials for a potential spot in coach Néstor Lorenzo’s squad for the 2026 FIFA world Cup, scheduled to begin on June 11th in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The match itself was a tightly contested affair. River Plate took the lead in the 24th minute when Gonzalo Montiel converted a penalty, deceiving Millonarios goalkeeper Diego Novoa. A penalty was awarded to River after a cross to Tomás Galván resulted in a foul.
Millonarios had opportunities to equalize, notably in the 26th minute when Leonardo Castro’s header was saved by River Plate’s goalkeeper, Santiago Beltrán. However, River Plate maintained control for much of the game.
The second half saw a flurry of activity. River Plate made two substitutions at halftime, bringing on Ian Subiabre and Santiago Lencina for Quintero and Salas. Millonarios responded with changes of their own, substituting captain Mackalister Silva with Jorge Cabezas Hurtado in the 28th minute, and later replacing Carlos Darwin Quintero with Álex Castro and Leo Castro with Julián Angulo following a controversial penalty decision against Millonarios in the 36th minute, which Novoa expertly saved.
The game took a dramatic turn in the 40th minute when River Plate’s Juan Portillo received a red card for a foul on Álex Castro. Despite being a man down, River Plate held on to secure the victory.
The match concluded with a final score of 1-0 in favor of River Plate, marking a less-than-ideal start to the preseason for Millonarios. “It was a weak game for Millonarios, who held on without attacking much and lost by a short margin,” a commentator noted.
Why did the game happen? millonarios and River plate played a preseason friendly match to prepare for their upcoming seasons.
Who played? Millonarios and River Plate, featuring players like Kevin Castaño, juan Fernando Quintero (River Plate), and Carlos Darwin Quintero (Millonarios). Radamel Falcao García was not included in Millonarios’ lineup.
What was the result? River Plate defeated Millonarios 1-0.
How did it end? Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning goal for River Plate in the 24th minute from a penalty kick.River Plate maintained their lead, even after Juan Portillo received a red card in the 40th minute, securing the victory. The match concluded with a final score of 1-0.
