Two words, Ariel Ortega. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the “Burrito” has returned to the club of his life! Through out the whole week, it was speculated that River would allow Ariel to start against the Premiership’s Everton squad in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Not only was his return a reality but he led River to its second straight win in its preseason training. A duel between Argentines and British teams is always an interesting match, but I was a bit shocked at the game’s attendance. Nonetheless, what counted was Ariel’s return and his spectacular goal to seal the victory.
As I mentioned above, the attendance in the match was a bit low compared to the size of the stadium. Commonwealth Stadium is considered on the greatest sports venues in Canada, serving as a home stadium for the national team. The crowd was spaced out between much of the stadium, but there are always those groups of supporters who travel in groups. There were a lot of River fans who traveled short and long distances to watch the Millonarios in action. The return of River’s remaining idols was enough to compensate for the travel. Ariel Ortega wore his beloved jersey with pride a year later after his questionable exit from the club. It seems that he has not lost his touch as he was able to maneuver between the English players like earlier times in his career. His magnificent goal in the first half was a reminder that he has plenty of football left in his body.
The game had many spurts of excitement from both squads. Once again, this match demonstrated that River is capable of doing great things at home and abroad but confidence is a key factor in success. Plagued with uncertainties in acquiring new players, the Millonarios know that its young reserve players are well capable of representing the club. River’s final preseason match in Canada is against the Montreal Impact from the USL, a MLS minor league, in Quebec.
