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After matches with performance doubts and victories linked to the controversial application of VAR, River achieved its roundest and most complete production since it was directed by Martín Demichelis. He had already left good signs last Wednesday, with the 3-0 win over Racing de Córdoba for the Copa Argentina. Being an adversary of the First National, it was necessary to be cautious with praise.
For the Professional League, against Godoy Cruz, River once again had a more than interesting level. And he repeated the win by 3-0. The name and scheme changes from one game to the next this time exposed the depth and variety of River’s resources.
The figure was Lucas Beltán, who with two goals is ahead of Miguel Borja and Salomón Rondón in the fight for the center-forward position, although the coach can bring two of them together in the formation, as he demonstrated against Racing de Córdoba. Beyond the contribution of the Cordovan forward, River worked very well on the game circuit with its midfielders: De la Cruz, Nacho Fernández and Paradela, supported by Enzo Pérez, plus the projections of Casco.
With the game defined, Beltrán is replaced and earns one of the ovations of the night. Borja enters; so does Rondón, who until now has not converted, and Simón.
Enzo Díaz stomps on each climb on the left. In this projection, he beats Cingolani in the run, who crosses him at the waist at the entrance to the area. Trucco did not collect the foul, but at the request of the VAR he reviews the play on the monitor and sanctions a penalty. Does Beltrán execute it to find his hat-trick? No, this time Barco takes possession of the ball, who with a right-footed shot makes it 3-0.
River missed the best De la Cruz and tonight the Uruguayan was once again that dynamic, sharp player, vital in creation and arrival. He made a great wear and tear and is replaced by Barco. The “Uruguayan, Uruguayan…” resounded in the Monumental.
Perhaps relaxed due to the advantage, River concedes spaces and Godoy Cruz puts together the best offensive maneuver of the night. Cingolani’s cross shot finds Armani well placed, who responds with his reflexes to take the ball to the corner.
River is fast and incisive. Now it is De la Cruz who drops from behind and reaches the area to get a definition that Ruso Rodríguez partially clears. The ball is loose, for Aliendro’s onslaught, who touches the ball before the goalkeeper’s slap on the midfielder’s foot. Penal. De la Cruz took the ball to execute it, but Beltrán approached and asked for it. The Cordovan wants to take advantage of this moment. With a right cross he made it 2-0.
It would have been the most beautiful goal of the date and one of the best of the championship. De la Cruz, who tonight is getting closer to the best version of him, crossed the assistance for Paradela. One of the players who has supported Demichelis the most since he arrived suddenly with a shot from outside the area. The teaspoon de Paradela, who could only be watched by goalkeeper Rodríguez, hit the crossbar.
In the position of left back, Enzo Díaz takes better advantage of his potential, especially to project himself. He does it with strength and determination. After traveling 25 meters, they fouled him off near the area. Nacho Fernández’s free kick hit the wall.
Match highlights
The first half of the Mendoza team was not good. Coach Flores is looking for a reaction with the arrivals of Tadeo Allende (for Hernán López) and Juan Meli (for Galdames). River has no variants.
The first half is over and River’s production earns the applause of the almost 83,000 fans that cover the stands. He played well and scored with Beltrán. River scored against a Godoy Cruz who until now had only conceded three goals: two from a penalty and one from a corner. River is the first rival in seven dates that managed to score with a collective play, which included De la Cruz, Aliendro, Nacho Fernández and Beltrán.
Casco is projected and commands the center that De la Cruz cannot comfortably control to define, but he manages to yield back to Aliendro, who shoots with his right foot open. The ball goes next to a post.
A loss at the start leaves River in a bad position. Arce takes the opportunity to take a powerful shot from medium distance, at medium height. Armani responds with a fly ball and a clearance to the corner.
The goal was the clean and jerk that River was missing to finish settling into the game. The management of the flyers, with Aliendro, De la Cruz and Nacho Fernández, is giving him control of development.
It was a matter of River adjusting some movements and being precise to bring the superiority it shows in the game to the scoreboard. Nacho Fernández, the greatest playmaker in the Demichelis era, arrives from the right and looks for Beltrán inside the area. The man from Córdoba turned and feinted, movements with which he outwitted his marker and made room for the right cross touch. Great goal. In 199 minutes of the Demichelis cycle, he has three goals and one assist.
Godoy Cruz comes out of the siege a bit and gets his first shot on goal, through Roberto Fernández. Save Armani.
The River captain goes with his leg raised to try a clearance, but ends up brushing the head of Laws. Referee Trucco considers it a rough move and admonishes Pérez, who protests the penalty.
River is still active. Nacho Fernández recovers a ball in the rival field and assists De la Cruz’s pike into the void, which he defines with a right cross that goes off next to a post. River was close to the first goal.
In his first game as a starter for the Professional League after the injury, defender Paulo Díaz appears safe in the tackle and quick for advances.
River varies between searching inside and opening up to the bands. In this case, Paradela, on the left sector, crossed the center for the entrance of Beltrán, who is paired between the two central defenders of Tomba and does not get to connect the assistance.
Mobility and circulation are ensuring River control of the game. It groups several players in the midfield and there is a chain of passes based on the rotation of their midfielders. Demichelis’s team is reaching the visiting area well.
River went deep as soon as they moved from the middle, with a combination between De la Cruz and Beltrán that ended in a corner after a cross from the right. A very aggressive start.
Demichelis tends to vary greatly the formation from one game to another. It is complex to guess the 11 starters. For this occasion, he surprised by relegating the natural right-backs, Rojas and Herrera -both on the bench-, to include Casco in that demarcation, who although he is right-handed, usually occupies the left wing.
Beyond the fact that the duo Lucas Beltrán and Miguel Borja worked well in the 3-0 defeat of Racing de Córdoba for the Argentine Cup, Martin Demichelis he opted for a single center forward to receive Godoy Cruz. The Cordovan was awarded ownership. “Beltrán is very confident and he is giving us a lot, that’s why he played from the start. The performance of the players defines the team”, the River coach had expressed after the victory last Wednesday.
The formation before the Tomb: Armani; Helmet, Gonzalez Pirez, Paulo Diaz and Enzo Diaz; Enzo Perez and Rodrigo Aliendro; Paradela, Ignatius Fernandez and De la Cruz; Beltran.
Godoy Cruz comes from getting an important 2-0 victory over Racing, which helped to clear up doubts about the continuity of coach Diego Flores, after three defeats in a row.
The alignment to face River: Diego Rodríguez; Arce, Barrios, Rasmussen and Galdames; Laws and Ábrego; Roberto Fernández, Hernán López and Conechny; Solomon Rodriguez.
Godoy Cruz’s record at the Monumental has a positive balance, with six wins, five losses and one draw. On the last visit, in July 2022, they won 2-0, with goals from Martín Ojeda and Gonzalo Ábrego.
We invite you to follow the match between River and Godoy Cruz live, at the Monumental stadium, for the seventh date of the Professional League. The match is televised by ESPN Premium. We will be reflecting the incidents of the game, with additional data and information, plus the most outstanding videos and photos.
