It’s a night to remember. It is a night to feel and to vibrate. It’s the night of racing. The Cylinder seems to have life… That epilogue is shocking with all the Albiceleste fans in a state of complete ecstasy. That Gustavo Costas team, which plays with a heart that excites, has just won an unforgettable classic against the rival they most wanted to beat.
River He had stolen from Maxi Salas in the last transfer market using the termination clause. River, through who is today its brand new president (the young Stéfano Di Carlo) had boasted of having an economy four times larger. Furthermore, in the last head-to-head duel for the Argentine Cup, won by the millionaires precisely with a goal from Salas, a former Racing player like Marcos Acuña had mocked the Racing fans… For that set of reasons, Racing enjoys the long-dreamed-of revenge against a River in which Salas and Acuña rounded out very weak individual productions.
The River players, the living image of desolation
The academics won 1-0 very early on with a great header from Santiago Solari. The millionaires, who had hardly generated any danger in the first half, did so in the second with a couple of changes. And they turned it around with a definition from Ian Subiabre and with a beautiful shot from outside by Juanfer Quintero. Those scorers had entered five minutes earlier…
However, Racing reacted. He had a wink of chance and tied it on a shot from Toto Fernández that brushed against Lucas Martínez Quarta and went in. There were 20 minutes left. And there emerged the Racing heart, the hungry Racing. The Academy went looking for him in the final stretch. He was not satisfied. All in the face of a River without reaction, with a curt attitude, without soul and without personality in that challenging epilogue that the opponent posed. To what extent were the departures of Enzo Pérez and Nacho Fernández influenced, who were scheduled to play 65/70 minutes and, what a coincidence, left the field just a moment before 2-2?
Award in the 92nd minute
The truth is that Racing attacked, they pressed. I wanted to settle it in regulation time. No extension. No penalties. And in the 92nd minute he had a reward. Gabriel Martirena anticipated in the rival area and, after a couple of attempts, made it 3-2 and unleashed the Albiceleste carnival. Racing did it with the dedication that symbolizes one of its leaders, Santiago Sosa, who asked to play with a mask resulting from a jaw fracture, without caring that he was not yet medically discharged and that he still needed 20 more days of recovery.
Now the Academy becomes a huge candidate to discuss the title head-to-head with Boca. They could meet in the semifinals. In the quarterfinals, the Xeneizes will play with Argentinos. Racing will do so with the winner of Lanús-Tigre, who will face each other on Wednesday.
River closed a terrible year, unimaginable when Marcelo Gallardo crowned his return and after an investment in reinforcements of more than 50 million dollars. The millionaires will no longer play in the group stage of Libertadores 2026. They could only be in the playoffs. And for that they need Boca, Argentinos or Lanús to be champions of this Clausura. A resounding failure for such a giant.
