There is no peace for River. He comfortably qualified for the second round of the Libertadores. They won the first two games of the local league by a landslide. But one night a modest Second Division team crosses his path and eliminates him from the Argentine Cup and once again the team and Martín Demichelis are involved in an immense mystery. It’s just a piece of crap, the worst fall of this post-Marcelo Gallardo cycle. There are no equivalences between millionaires and this Temperley who enjoys a historical impact that he generated with courage.
It was one of those fairy tales that this Argentine Cup usually gives away. The 90 regulation minutes ended 1-1. River won it with a great free kick from Esequiel Barco. And Temperley tied it in the 92nd minute! with a majestic overhead kick from Fernando Martínez in the small area, after a side kick and two headers. Then, on penalties, it was 5-4 for the southern blues.
The hero was Juan Rago, Temperley’s goalkeeper, who stopped two shots, from Barco and David Martínez. Once again in these dramatic series, Franco Armani was in the spotlight, as he did not save any penalties. River’s karma was also repeated in the penalty shootout. When he reaches that moment, it always costs him: he lost the last 6, failed in 9 of the last 11 and fell in 12 of the last 16.
Sosa (Temperley) and Casco (River) fight for the ball
Getty Images
Demichelis’s face, when his players began to miss penalties, was much more than eloquent. And when the elimination was crowned, even more so. He bit his lips, walked from here to there, breathed deeply, his eyes full of anger. And later he left the Malvinas Argentinas stadium in Mendoza without speaking.
River made headlines. Nothing was saved. What never came out of him was the game. It cost him an enormous amount. At one point it seemed like the game was over. And his coach with the changes and the choice of pitchers fueled that perception.
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Temperley bailed, pressed and believed he could do damage. In fact, it caused danger in Franco Armani’s area. He always gave the feeling that at some point he could surprise. He breathed that possibility. And the magical Chilean arrived. And then the penalties. And the feat. River created the least expected problem. This historical elimination is equal to a dagger. We will have to see the depth of the wound.
2024-05-22 04:42:29
#Historic #stick #River #Demichelis
