The best derby in the world came and went. In ninety minutes, River Plate and Boca Juniors played their 186th encounter in the Monumental Stadium. Through out the past week, many things were said about how the team formations would line-up, who would win, who would play the best/least, and the famous match in the stands between River and Boca fans. Both teams needed a win, but more so River. River did the best they could, surprisingly enough, and the match ended in a draw. On a side note, the match could have been won by a large margin of goals but River’s ‘bad luck’ continues to haunt the millonarios.
In front of a sold-out crowd, Coach Astrada’s men had the best atmosphere to win. Before the match, the pressure was on from an early start. Flags, songs, drums, balloons, and confetti made their way towards the stands. Every week, River continues to receive support from its loyal fans despite the results. River’s starting line-up looked great, with veterans Matias Almeyda, Marcelo Gallardo, and Ariel Ortega ready to play. Coach Astrada relied on these three players for much of his strategy, and it proved successful. Unfortunately, the match would start with Cristian Villagra being ejected from the match in the first minute. With one man down, River dominated the first half but failed to convert many missed chances. Right from the start, Nicolas Domingo’s shot pass Boca’s Abbodanzieri paved the way for a great Sunday match.
The excitement reached a new level when Ariel Ortega was awarded a penalty. In reality, the penalty was doubtful as Diego Buonanotte had stopped the ball twice with his arm but was tackled inside the area. Nonetheless, Ariel Ortega took the shot but was blocked by Boca’s Abbondanzieri, who happened to be a few feet ahead of where he was supposed to be. With the match 0-0, the excitement grew stronger. Minutes later, Marcelo Gallardo was awarded a free kick, and he did not miss. A beautiful free kick left Abbodanzieri speechless, and River’s hopes were high. Boca could not find its place, even with Juan Roman Riquelme at their disposal. River’s missed many chances to score, and the team would feel this burden later on.
In the second half, a new River came on the field. This River team was not the same as the one in the first half. In fact, the same players on the pitch seemed to be confused against a new, confident Boca. The pressure was against River now, and Boca took quick notice of this. Their attempts to tie the match were stopped by a confident Daniel Vega in the goal area. Coach Astrada took notice of this, and made some changes. Boca continued to push forward and it took 18 minutes for Martin Palermo to tie the match. With the match all tied up, it was anybody’s game. Boca seemed to be the team looking for the victory as River relied heavily on its defense to clear away the ball. Minutes before the final whistle, River could have scored and it was Matias Abelairas who was responsible. Matias was wide open and his shot graced Boca’s left goal post, leaving a sensation in every fan. The match ended with both teams congratulating their fan base, but River should have won this match.
