The one with the irregularities, the one who clearly lost the last Superclásico, the one who looks askance at his coach, the one who wins quite often but does not convince, that same River march at a more than firm step in the Libertadores Cup if you look at the points harvest. That same River continues to show no consistency in its game.
River is achieving what it imagined: it clearly dominates Group H. However, it cannot fully assert itself and leaves doubts thinking about the future, in the kill-kill phases, where difficulties grow and mistakes are paid too dearly.
As a visitor against a Uruguayan giant, in Montevideo and against Nacional, it seemed that River finished him off in just half an hour. The thing is that after 30 minutes they had already made a two-goal difference, supported by the imbalance and forcefulness of their forwards, supported from the midfield by Rodrigo, Villagra and Aliendro.
First, Miguel Borja shook the net with a beautiful shot to a corner from outside the area. Later, in a sharp counterattack, with Nacional crowning a terrible setback, Facundo Colidio pushed her. Everything was from River.
However, at the start of the second half, there was a situation full of violence and tension that took advantage of the millionaires. Leandro Lozano hit Aliendro with a brutal strike that was for red. There was a tumult that had everything, including a blow by Franco Romero in the face of Paulo Díaz, also leading to expulsion. But after reviewing the actions in the VAR, unusually, Brazilian referee Anderson Daronco gave both local players a yellow card.
That is to say that at that moment Nacional should have been left with two fewer men. It was a brutal injustice that is not valid as an excuse for the million-dollar decline. Because from then on, Nacional cornered River. Uruguayan coach Alvaro Recoba included Rubén Bentancourt to attack with two center forwards. The Uruguayans went all out.
Gastón González (River) is grabbed by the pants by Leandro González
River gave the sensation of breaking down emotionally after those two expulsions that “weren’t” and he was almost unable to leave his area. He was saved three times clearly. Martín Demichelis’ changes did not help. Until a more than avoidable hand from Enzo Díaz arrived. And Nacional scored with the penalty that Gonzalo Carneiro converted. Immediately, a bad clearance with Franco Armani’s fists unleashed the play for equality, also crowned by Carneiro this time with a header.
Thus, what was a clear victory for River became a tie that sows unknowns. Maybe the millionaires will almost certainly go to the second round as first in their group. They are leaders with 10 units, while Nacional has 7, Libertad accumulates 4 and Táchira barely has 1. There are two dates left and Martín Demichelis’ team will play them at home against Libertad and Táchira. The classification is not a game. What raises doubts is the operation, that instability that is too dangerous.
