River Plate achieved this Sunday a tight victory in its visit to Patronato, in Paraná, by 1 to 0, to continue on in the fight for the title of the Professional Soccer League after this match corresponding to the 24th. date, just before playing two games in a row at the Monumental, against Platense and Rosario Central.
For their part, the entrerrianos were one point away from losing the category, while on the other hand they are classified for the semifinals of the Argentine Cup, an instance in which they will have to face Boca Juniors, who today beat the other team that is also at edge of the descent, and it is Aldosivi from Mar del Plata.
Precisely the “xeneizes” are the leaders of the championship with a point above Atlético Tucumán, who will be visiting Racing Club tomorrow.
But this third consecutive victory for River, something that he achieved for the first time in the contest, allowed him to establish himself in the third step of the positions with 41 points along with the aforementioned Racing, while the team from Boquense adds 45 and the team from Tucumán 44.
But just as Boca previously had a hard time winning Aldosivi 2-1 in the Bombonera, the match was no less complicated for River, since Patronato, which was precisely the one that eliminated him in the quarterfinals of the Argentine Cup. He matched the actions with a high and constant pressure that caused errors in the transfer of the visitors from the middle to the back.
And as a result of one of them came a penalty for the Paranaenses when the discount of the first half was played, which Justo Giani took, but his shot to the right by Franco Armani was deflected by the goalkeeper of the Argentine team, the only one in local football with chances to be in the World Cup in Qatar.
That failed penalty plus another that Marcelo Estigarribia missed against Argentinos Juniors at the end of the match, may have been key for Patronato to go down already in the next midweek matchday, just by adding the same score as Arsenal de Sarandí, when they visit Lanus.
That blow with which the Patronato went to the locker room seemed to affect him too much at the start of the complement, while River, firmer when trying to carry out his game, the one that had only been observed dribbling in the initial stage, was able establishing a good combination between Colombians Juan Fernando Quintero and Miguel Borja started with the latter defining with his left foot before 10 minutes.
Only then, stimulated by their faithful partiality, the red and blacks went in search of equality, fighting against the adversity that fate also brought to this team led by Facundo Sava, who plays well, knew how to beat Boca 3-0 in this same scenario, but has the doom of relegation just around the corner.
However, with his weapons, noble by the way because they are fully footballing, he fought until the end of the match, making Armani roll continuously in the last half hour, until turning the River Plate goalkeeper into the figure of the match.
And just as it happens to Boca, due to the apparent weight of the shirt and a little more, with very little River continues in the fight for the title, as if it cost less than others more humble, who in the eyes of the spectator continue playing a little better.
River and Boca, Boca and River, are up as always in Argentine football that is in clear decline at the local level. That is why Armani’s is not a minor fact. And the fact that there is no local field player for the first time in the history of the World Cups speaks volumes about the lack of play that invades what is now called the Professional League.
Synthesis
Board of Trustees: Facundo Altamirano; Raúl Lozano, Sergio Ojeda, Carlos Quintana and Lucas Kruspzky; Justo Giani, Tiago Banega, Nicolás Castro and Sebastián Medina; Jonathan Herrera and Marcelo Estigarribia. DT: Facundo Sava.
River Plate: Franco Armani; Marcelo Herrera, Emanuel Mammana, Paulo Díaz and Milton Casco; Nicolás De la Cruz, Enzo Pérez, Juan Quintero and Agustín Palavecino; Miguel Borja and Pablo Solari. DT: Marcelo Gallardo.
Goal in the second half: 8m. Borgia (R).
Changes in the second half: At the start of Esequiel Barco for Enzo Pérez (R) and Facundo Cobos for Medina (P); 18m. Jonás Acevedo by Kruspzky (P); 22m. Leandro González Pírz by Solari (R), 28m. Alexander Sosa for Jonathan Herrera (P) and Juan Barinaga for Banega (P); 36m. José Paradela for Quintero (R) and Matías Suárez for Borja (R),
Booked: Medina. Castro, Estigarribia, Banega, Altamirano and Giani (P). Diaz, Solari and Mammana (R)
Incidents: 45+3m. of the first half Armani (R) held off a penalty kick from Giani (P) and 45+2m. Castro (P) was sent off in the second half.
Field: Board of Trustees.
Referee: Patricio Loustau.
