With the title secured for two days, River Plate fell this Sunday at home 2-3 against Defensa y Justicia in one of the outstanding matches of the 24th and penultimate day of the tournament of the Professional League of Argentine soccer.
On a night marked by prayer of the sympathizer ‘millionaire’ for Marcelo Gallardo to stay in the institution and renew your bond as a coach, River suffered its third defeat in the tournament.
Walter Bou, Miguel Ángel Merentiel and Franco Paredes converted for the winner, while Enzo Fernández and Braian Romero did it for the ‘Millionaire’, who also experienced a special farewell day for Leonardo Ponzio, who played his last match in the Monumental stadium since at the end of the season he will hang up his boots.
Both Ponzio and Gallardo were the great stars of the night with the constant ovations of the local public that recognized the career as a footballer to the first and begged the coach to stay in a decision that has not yet been communicated about the future.
In another of the games this Saturday for the 24th day of the Argentine tournament, Boca Juniors drew 1-1 as a visitor to bottom Arsenal de Sarandí with goals from Juan Ramírez for ‘Xeneize’ and Bruno Sepúlveda for the host.
However, with the ties this Sunday of Estudiantes (4-4 with Gymnastics in the La Plata classic) and Independiente (1-1 with San Lorenzo), Boca secured their classification to the next Libertadores Cup 2022 beyond the result of next Wednesday in the final of the Argentine Cup against Talleres de Córdoba.
On Friday, at the beginning of this day, Velez Sarsfield drew goalless with the Board on a very special night because Ricardo ‘Ricky’ Álvarez said goodbye to football by hanging up his boots and Thiago Almada said goodbye to the ‘Fortín’ supporters because he will continue his career at Atlanta United of the US MLS.
In other outstanding results of this date, Talleres won 1-2 away from Sarmiento in Junín as a visitor and he remains firm in a campaign that is close to leaving him runner-up; Fernando Gago’s Racing Club lost again on Saturday, this time 1-0 in their visit to Huracán; and Independiente and San Lorenzo in addition to equalizing 1-1 were participants in an emotional afternoon where the ‘Rojo’ stadium was renamed ‘Liberators of America Ricardo Enrique Bochini’.
This Monday there will be another emotional day in Rosario because Maximiliano ‘La Fiera’ Rodríguez will play his last match as a professional in the match that Newell’s Old Boys will face Banfield at Coloso Marcelo Bielsa.