What was supposed to happen in the cool night of the Monumental cup: Argentinos are a tough team, ready to fight. Thus, the first leg of the round of 16 was tied 1 to 1 and those of La Paternal were happier for the away goal. It is defined next week at Diego Maradona.
It was a game of two elite coaches and it is convenient to celebrate that there are technicians of that category in Argentine football, who are offered and who favor the show. River de Gallardo attacks and Argentinos de Milito leads. So it was a game of clenched teeth, no detail left to chance, and deep study. They gave away an attractive duel, in short, with emotions and thought and rehearsed plays.
It is rightly said that in a match teams have their moments of high and low, and that they must take advantage of some and endure the others. He started with all Argentines, stuck, pressing up the exit of River, with Milito on the edge of the field asking for intensity. And the local Bicho bothered the local, who planted himself to play near Franco Armani with a very offensive 5-2-3. But the one who scored in that period was River, with a blackboard play that Paulo Díaz started, Braian Romero continued and Matías Suárez defined one touch.
River’s goal was laboratory because it came as Gallardo thought. That’s why Díaz and Enzo Pérez went to hug DT in the goal from Cordoba. He played with a rare River scheme: 4-3-2-1. And Suárez was the reference, with Romero and Alvarez behind. What the Doll thought was to play quickly behind the centrals. Suárez stood next to the libero Torrén and ran behind Quintana and Mac Allister, who were with the remaining attackers. The place was vertical, with a quick transition. In the goal, Díaz saw the movement of Romero, who made a great play for the goal of Suárez. They went 9 minutes.
River improved from goal. He found several passes and found spaces to run. Lucas Chaves covered two notable hand-to-hand with Suárez. The second, it must be said, was worth as much as a goal because the attacker had been left alone after a great pass from Gonzalo Montiel.
He kept biting Argentinos, even when he suffered the best passages of River. What the Bug does is really pressure (he drowned Enzo Pérez). And leave quickly so that Avalos unloads and the sides appear by surprise. The visitor also hit at the worst moment, although it is true that River had dropped a bit. They turned the Millionaire from one side and the Doll must be regretted for that. Jonathan Gómez took a free center past, Sandoval beat Casco and Hauche deflected Armani’s nose, who could do nothing.
In the second half, Argentinos fell back and stopped pressing. Maybe he settled for the away goal he had already scored. The possession was from River, but it was not fine. Gallardo sent Carrascal, Enzo Fernández, Angileri and Girotti to the court and changed to a 4-3-3. What he looked for was simpler: overflow to define on the inside with Girotti.
And for something, Gallardo had thought of another party. River was repeated in shipments and the figures of Torrén and Quintana grew, those centrals that are a guarantee. Those who returned from those selected (Montiel, Alvarez and mainly De La Cruz) showed some fatigue, but River went. Gallardo’s bad team can play, although he will never stop going. And from trying so much he had a clear one: Girotti the ball was obedient in the crescent and the powerful shot was kissing the right angle.
It was a draw, just. And what is coming looks like it will be exciting.
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