Returning from a long break due to the South American World Cup Qualifiers, River Plate made its first appearance of many upcoming games against Racing Club of Avellaneda. Historically, River has dominated the majority of matches won against this club but lately it has been a challenge facing “La Academia”. River had its entire starting lineup ready to face Racing so there would be no excuses for any lack of effort. Unfortunately, River did not take advantage of Racing’s pressure to stay afloat in the First Division and let the game slip away off a lonely goal in the first half. River needed this match to maintain hopes of acquiring a new championship but this loss complicates those chances as time begins to run out.
Since the first minute, River could manage to settle down on the pitch. Racing seemed to cover all areas concerning any possible push by River’s midfield section, an important factor in River’s loss. With captain Oscar Ahumada trying to gain control left and right, confusion paved way for Racing’s only goal. In the 17th minute of the half, Pablo Luguercio put the ball behind Mariano Barbosa’s net. Not only was this goal expected but it made an unfortunate reality to River’s inconsistency in the pitch. After the goal, Racing continued to dominate the pitch creating various chances to score. Luckily, Mariano Barbosa was alert and saved some shots but it was River’s weak defense that was responsible. As the first half ended, River desperately awaited the whistle. Halftime would be a time to regroup and figure out where the problems were. During this time, I reflected on the two forced substitutions that Coach Nestor Gorosito had to make. With Augusto Fernandez and Facundo Quiroga both injured, River now faced an unfortunate situation in which two important players are sidelined and two substitutions are gone.
The second half was a bit better for the Millonarios as the Marcelo Gallardo replaced Diego Buonanotte. This substitution changed River’s image and more solid attacks started to come across the pitch. With River now taking control of the match, Racing restrained from counter-attacking to avoid giving up any space to River. Another incident in River’s favor was the expulsion of Racing’s Pablo Caballero in the 32nd minute. With River having an advantage, it was time for a final push to equalize the match and possibly win the match. Missed shots and missed passes created missed opportunities for River to score and as the final minutes dwindled down, the pressure got more intense. Lots of pushing and shoving created frenzy on the pitch and, unfortunately, this would be the final reaction River had to the lost match. As the players made their way to the locker room, I instantly began to put this match behind and focus on Tuesday’s match with Uruguay’s Nacional in the Monumental Stadium on Tuesday evening. It’s a must win for River on Tuesday to maintain any chance to advance to the next round.
