Midfielder Ignacio Fernández and forward Matías Suárez scored for River, who was in control for much of the match and made the difference in the second half, while attacker Jonathan Candia discounted for Arsenal.
The victory allows River to stay on top with seven points along with Boca, a rival that he will face next Saturday in “La Bombonera”, with two dates remaining for the completion of the A-Zone Championship.
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River deployed its usual high pressure and left Arsenal without options in attack, which only dedicated itself to defending, aware of its limitations.
The entry of Ignacio Fernández, who is looking for his best soccer version, was key for River, because he scored the first goal, after a rebound by Maximiliano Gagliardo generated by a good team play and notably assisted Suárez.
Fernández had touches of good football, enough for Arsenal that only endangered River’s triumph in the last minutes.
With a somewhat erratic Nicolás De La Cruz and a discreet party by Jorge Carrascal, Fernández was the playing card as in his best times.
The return of Enzo Pérez was another good news for River: it gave him balance and contributed the hierarchy that characterizes him.
The bad news for the “Millionaire” was the injuries of Fabricio Angileri and Milton Casco, the first with a muscle injury in the left hamstring that will marginalize him from the games against Boca on Saturday and Palmeiras for the first leg of the Libertadores semifinal next week, and the second with a similar condition.
The former Godoy Cruz retired in the first minutes of the match and the former Gimnasia La Plata did so in the second stage. Casco’s departure left River with ten players and, from there, Arsenal generated danger.
Sergio Rondina’s team put the result on hold because River, with Casco leaving and all the changes made, was left with ten players and it was difficult for him to settle in the last row.
River will face Boca next Saturday at “La Bombonera”, starting at 9.30 pm, in a duel that is important in its history, but decisive for the final stretch of the Diego Maradona Cup.
Arsenal, far from the top spots, will face Independiente as a visitor on Sunday, January 6.
Synthesis
River: Franco Armani; Gonzalo Montiel, Robert Rojas, Javier Pinola and Fabricio Angileri; Bruno Zuculini, Enzo Pérez and Nicolás De La Cruz; Matías Suárez, Rafael Santos Borré and Jorge Carrascal. DT: Marcelo Gallardo.
Arsenal: Maximiliano Gagliardo; Mateo Carbajal, Fabio Pereyra, Gastón Suso and Nicolás Castro; Leonel Picco; Emiliano Méndez and Alejo Antilef; Facundo Pons; Lucas Albertengo and Jonathan Candia. DT: Sergio Rondina.
Goals in the second half: 11 m. Fernández (R); 21m. Suárez and 38m. Candia (A).
Change in the first half: 18m. Milton Helmet for Angileri (R).
Changes in the second half: When Ignacio Fernández begins with Zuculini (R); 15 m. Ramiro Luna for Pons (A) and Rodrigo Balbuena for Antilef (A); 22m. Julián Álvarez for Carrascal (R); 30m. Benjamin Rollheiser by Borré (R); 33m. Leonardo Marchi for Méndez and Bruno Báez for Albertengo (A) and 42m. Facundo Kruspzky by Picco (A).
Admonished: Zuculini, Pinola and De La Cruz (R). Carbajal, Méndez and Picco (A).
Referee: Fernando Espinoza.
Stadium: Libertadores de América (Independent, local River).
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