It was an emotional afternoon in Nunez as River proved to be a serious contender for the championship despite setbacks suffered a week before. In front of a huge crowd on a Sunday afternoon, River faced off against Arsenal. Coming back to familiar grounds after losing to San Martin of Peru and San Lorenzo in the same week, the pressure was on for a win. River needed a desperate win to maintain chances in obtaining another title, as it has been a tight race in the standings. The atmosphere among the fans was excellent, an act that has been very familiar despite River’s rocky progress but strong nonetheless. Arsenal came to Nunez looking to escape with a surprise win but they were quickly reminded that the afternoon would be a complete opposite to their intentions.
One of the highlights of the match was the first initial start of Cristian Fabbiani in River’s starting line up. The “Ogre” was discarded from playing in Peru so he can prepare himself for this match and it paid off. Cristian has proven game by game, that his enthusiasm and determination to prove himself on the field is his number one priority. The first of the match was a “ping-pong” of possession for both teams. River did manage to almost score several times at the hand of Radamel Falcao. In one chance, Radamel almost put River on top early in the match of a header that rebounded off the goalkeeper and then off the post. A minute before the half ended, River encountered a very familiar situation that has plagued the team lately. Nicolas Sanchez was thrown out of the game, awarding Arsenal a penalty shot that put them in the lead at halftime. Unfortunately, it was an unjust accusation from the referee that cost River a player.
Starting the half behind a goal is always a pressure for any team. For River, this pressure could mean a lot of things: disorganization, stress, and uneasiness. This time it was a motivating push that caused River to win the match. The first minute of the second half produced the first goal for River. Radamel Falcao scored the equalizer off a header causing great commotion on the pitch and in the crowd. The pivotal point of the match was the substitution of Marcelo Gallardo for Diego Buonanotte. The “Muneco” changed the game and along with Cristian Fabbiani, become a menacing duo. Gallardo scored twice in the match, in the 21st and 32nd minute, sealing his comeback in great fashion. His abilities and experience on the pitch is exactly what River needed after the past losses. On a final note, Danilo Gerlo became the toughest player of the match. Being injured for most of the second half, he withstood pain and agony to cover his position. He could not be substituted since there were no chances left and after covering his ground, he was gracefully awarded with a standing ovation after the game finalized at 3-1.
