Enzo Fernández and Braian Romero, two former Defense and Justice, scored for the “millionaires”, while Walter Bou, the Uruguayan Miguel Merentiel and Franco Paredes, ex River Plate, they did it for the visit.
River, who accumulated 18 games without defeats in the tournament, has 53 points. Defense and Justice, who won in nine of his last 11 presentations (tied two), reached 44 units and sealed his ticket to the Copa Sudamericana by Annual Table.
The “millionaire” executed a brilliant first half against another of the best-playing teams in the Professional Football League. The pressure exerted in the attack nullified any intention of Defense and Justice.
With precise, vertical and fast passes, River monopolized the ball, took over the midfield and found the goal before ten minutes with the crossed and perfect header from Enzo Fernandez, after the center of Milton Helmet.
The steering wheel of River, With a past in Defense and Justice, he offered apologies and could only manage to kiss the shield of his current club.
River, true to his style, continued with the pressure against an overwhelmed Defense and Justice. Gabriel Hachen found no gaps and Walter Bou was lost among the adjusted marks of Paulo Díaz and David Martínez.
The team that leads Marcelo gallardo he won every bounce or lost ball in between and magnified his game.
Despite the superiority, Defense and Justice alerted River before half an hour of play with a filtered pass to Francisco Pizzini. In hand to hand, Franco Armani avoided the tie.
The second chance for Florencio Varela’s “Halcón” was one minute from the end of the first half, when Robert Rojas pulled over the line the attempt to Miguel Merentiel.
River wasted opportunities. Braian Romero was the protagonist on both occasions. First he was too “supportive” when he yielded to Enzo Fernández when he was in front of Ezequiel Unsain with a great pass from Bruno Zuculini.
At the start of the second half he had a cross shot that went near the far post.
Sebastián Beccacece moved the bank and the income of Alexis Soto and Raúl Loaiza gave Defense another air. So much so that he reached a tie with Bou after the center of Carlos Rotondi.
Bou, due to his past in Boca, made an effusive shout that raised the River fans to remember the final of the Copa Libertadores won in Madrid in 2018.
Florencio Varela’s team found spaces and reversed it with a goal from Merentiel. The Uruguayan defined with class against Armani in a counter originated by Pizzini.
River did not give up far from it, but was in search of a draw that came with Romero. Agustín Palavecino kicked the goal and his shot was stopped on the way by the former defender, who also did not shout the goal out of respect.
The owner of the house, already with the income of the cheered “Leo” Ponzio and Jorge Carrascal, could not convert the third through Romero, and Defensa, in an error by Martínez at the start, took advantage of the crossed shot by Paredes that he found a lazy response from Armani. The defender, former River, was the third on the night of the Monumental to offer an apology for the goal.
And when Patricio Loustau whistled the end, the fans gave another ovation to Ponzio, visibly moved, surrounded by his teammates and Marcelo Gallardo.
River and Defense fulfilled the promise of a great game. On the next date, the Argentine soccer champion will visit Atlético Tucumán and those of Florencio Varela will receive Lanús.
-Synthesis-
River Plate: Franco Armani; Robert Rojas, David Martínez, Paulo Díaz and Milton Casco; Santiago Simón, Enzo Fernández, Bruno Zuculini and Agustín Palavecino; Julián Álvarez and Braian Romero. DT: Marcelo Gallardo.
Defense and Justice: Ezequiel Unsain; Nicolás Tripicchio, Adonis Frías, Nazareno Colombo and Marcelo Benítez; Kevin Gutiérrez and Gabriel Hachen; Francisco Pizzini, Walter Bou and Carlos Rotondi; and Miguel Merentiel. DT: Sebastián Beccacece.
Goal in the first half: 9m. Fernandez (R).
Goals in the second half: 18m. Bou (DyJ); 27m. Merentiel (DyJ); 29m. Romero (R) and 41m. Walls (DyJ).
Changes in the second half: 14m. Alexis Soto and Raúl Loaiza for Benítez and Hachen (DyJ); 29m. Leonardo Ponzio and Jorge Carrascal for Zuculini and Simón (R); 33m. Franco Paredes for Pizzini (DyJ); 42m. Tomás Escalante for Merentiel (DyJ) and 43m. Federico Girotti by Romero (R).
Admonished: Martínez and Fernández (R). Loaiza (DyJ).
Referee: Patricio Loustau.
Stadium: Antonio V. Liberti
Source From: Ambito
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