DRV PNK Stadium hosted South American giants River Plate and Millonarios for a friendly on Saturday night in South Florida. The Argentine and Colombian clubs faced off in front of swaths of passionate supporters on the chilly South Florida evening, with River Plate leaving victorious by a score of 2-0.
“Since we arrived in South Florida we felt very comfortable, the training facilities are wonderful. They gave us the freedom to feel and work comfortably. When this is the case, things are much easier. Then today the feeling in the stadium, very nice,” said River Plate head coach Martín Demichelis.
“It felt very nice because a lot of fans from River came. It is always pleasant for the player to have that support, that extra scenery that makes soccer beautiful. We feel very comfortable. We have a few days left, then we have the trip to Orlando. Hopefully we’ll retire from this little part of the preseason with one more victory, with all the boys healthy.”
“Since we arrived they’ve treated us really well here, and beyond that we also have tons of Millonarios supporters here. Yesterday Emerson Rodríguez, our former player [and current Inter Miami player] showed us around this beautiful stadium, it’s a marvel. They treated us really well upon our arrival and during our training session, and today we enjoyed an important, dynamic, up-and-down match. The fans also enjoyed it, it was a beautiful spectacle,” expressed Millonarios head coach Alberto Gamero.
The match saw both sides thrill the spectators, enlivening the already festive atmosphere at DRV PNK Stadium. The winning goal, scored by defender Emanuel Mammana’s tidy finish on the rebound after a saved header from Lucas Beltrán, brought the raucous River Plate support to its feet in the 60th minute. Striker Miguel Borja got the crowd to its feet again in the 88th minute, converting from the spot to give River Plate the 2-0 win.
The match capped off a week of festivities, which saw the teams make the most of Inter Miami’s facilities, training at the Florida Blue Training Center, hosting press conferences at DRV PNK Stadium, and exchanging jerseys with Inter Miami players.
River entered the match led by head coach and iconic former center back Demichelis, coaching his second match of 2023, as well as World Cup-winning goalkeeper Franco Armani, defender Mammana, and former MLS star Ezequiel Barco; Inter Miami loanee Leandro González Pirez also appeared in the match. Millonarios, meanwhile, started the match with Colombian international goalkeeper Álvaro Moreno and Costa Rican international and 2022 FIFA World Cup participant center back Juan Pablo Vargas leading the way.
Ahead of the Duelo de Millonarios, Inter Miami midfielder Jean Mota and River Plate stalwart and captain Enzo Pérez swapped jerseys, and current Inter Miami forward and former Millonarios player Emerson Rodríguez swapped jerseys with Millonarios’ Andrés Llinás. Following the match, Inter Miami’s Ariel Lassiter also swapped jerseys with Costa Rican compatriot and Millonarios defender Vargas on the pitch.
The thrills at DRV PNK Stadium are just beginning for 2023, with Inter Miami’s first preseason match slated for next Saturday, Jan. 21 when the team takes on Brazilian side CR Vasco da Gama. Tickets for the highly-anticipated match are available **HERE**. Additionally, fans should stay tuned for an exciting fan-facing event set for Saturday, Feb. 18 at DRV PNK Stadium that will include a friendly to conclude the team’s preseason; the opponent for the match and additional details will be announced at a later date.
River Plate, meanwhile, will go on to face Vasco da Gama at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Fla. on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. ET. Tickets for the match are available HERE.
