Miguel Borja celebrates his goal, River’s second – Credits: @Mauro Alfieri
Triumph and classification, but without the football authority that could be expected. With a goal in the end by Miguel Borja, to make up a victory that still showed some wrinkles. River is still in the Copa Libertadores, it will be in the round of 16, a stage that it could not reach for the last time in 2009. It had a winding transition in the group, but it did not fall off the cliff. He hit a couple of strong romps as a visitor and transformed the Monumental into a fortress to recover lost ground, stomp and feed the illusion.
The 2-0 to The Strongest went through several oscillations. He opened the game early, but it took him a while to close it and avoid a certain suspense and the occasional scare. In the middle there was a development that was somewhat slippery. In any case, River gets used to winning, it is an exercise that he has learned very well, regardless of the circumstances of any match. “I still like the personality of the team”, was the summary made by Martín Demichelis.
Nacho Fernández controls the ball with his chest – Credits: @Mauro Alfieri
Not as fast, but more thoughtful. This was the beginning of River. To move the ball, if it was necessary to lateralize to dislodge the Bolivian block, he did not save on passes and patience. A River that is more dominant than overwhelming, ready for the goal to come through maturation. Planted with serenity and conviction. Against all odds, the first shot at archery was from The Strongest. Nothing disturbing for Armani, but it was still a curious note.
Highlights of River 2 – The Strongest 0
Beyond the slow attack, River did not take long to create situations. The first was with a shot from De la Cruz. Immediately, a goal that came from the elaboration and eyes wide open, with Nacho Fernández looking for De la Cruz, who with his back to the goal served it to Aliendro, author of a subtlety, with a tight right-footed shot next to a post. More surgical than powerful. A definition of a player who is going through a great moment, owner of a confidence that helps him solve with a wide range of resources.
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13 minutes went by and River began to solve the story, a concern was removed from him. Aliendro scored an important goal again, like in Lima, against Sporting Cristal, when he rescued a tie to keep alive a classification that was very compromised at the time.
Armani was also important in the first half with a couple of saves – Credits: @JUAN MABROMATA
Surprisingly, from dominance and control, Demichelis’s team fell into the kind of game that makes him suffer and puts the result in the air. Defensive distractions, poor positioning, doubts. The Strongest perked up. Casco continued to be confused as in previous matches. With the return of Enzo Díaz, he moved to the right, instead of Herrera, who brought a rising performance. Casco maintained a title that in the first half he did not justify with his performance. He committed a couple of starts with misdirected inside passes. And The Strongest came close to drawing, if not for a couple of very good Armani saves. There was also a shot that went just over the crossbar.
Disorganized in their own half against a rival who had taken a step forward, River had spaces for the counterattack. Beltrán had two chances, but on one he was slow to give Nacho the pass and on the other he defined high. Aliendro was once again close to the goal with a cross shot.
River went to rest with a minimal advantage and an ambiguous feeling: it was capable of good and bad, a positive passage was followed by another to worry about. Too irregular, fickle. He could have scored a few more goals, but against an opponent of a different hierarchy, he would have regretted his mismatches.
Aliendro, with a tight touch from the right, scores River’s first goal – Credits: @Mauro Alfieri
The start of the second stage had The Strongest with the initiative and movements near the Armani area. River walked along the ledge, he defended himself more with individual arrests than by coordination. The Strongest worked well, as if it weren’t true that in this cup he is already going through the third coach. Between Ursina, Chura and Isnaldo they took the development government from River. And above I had Triverio, a tank that also accelerates.
River’s problem was handling the ball. Too much imprecision and disagreements at the time of preparation. De la Cruz and Barco had less participation and Enzo Pérez and Aliendro had more work to recover the ball.
Beltrán tries to pass between two rivals: the striker did not have a good night in the definition – Credits: @Mauro Alfieri
Demichelis sought a correction to the formula of two strikers: Pablo Solari replaced Enzo Pérez after 15 minutes. The winger could stretch the team with his runs. Some of it he got in a couple of strides. There was a header from Nacho Fernández that came out close, but River in attack was outnumbered, The Strongest managed to surround whoever had the ball well.
But Solari brought the missing offensive freshness, the necessary depth. From his feet came the last incisive plays and the goal of the admitted Borja. The Colombian’s goal lit up Monumental a little more to celebrate the classification. River passed as second in the zone and will now wait for the draw for a leader from another group, among which Boca will surely be. It was the official meeting No. 29 in the first half of Demichelis, with 21 wins. River feels up to anyone.
2023-06-28 02:55:00
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