The first thing you have to do to get out of the hole, they say, is to stop digging. And that had been done River on Sunday, against Rosario Central. He changed in time, he returned to the sources, he was logical, simple, and he shaped the triumph. And so the story began against National. Doing things without twists, pressing, with attitude, with neatness, and with a Diablito Echeverri lit up, which after 15 minutes led the lamp to fill all the goal openings on the night of the Monumental. And that’s how it ended too. With a 2-0 under their belt that they conquered via Colidio, after so much insistence, to add two wins in two games and climb to the top of Group H of the Copa Libertadores.
Of course, its operation had intermittents. That’s why it was difficult for him to secure victory. Of course, they had a good team in front of them and that gives more value to these three points with which Demichelis’ team strengthens its journey as leader.
There have already been 56 games with the Monumental full. With 85 thousand souls, including the 3,500 faithful that Nacional contributed and an eternal Uruguayan in the millionaire skin, Antonio Alzamendi, specially invited by the River leadership for the occasion.
River, in the end, won well. He didn’t shine, he spared his rival’s life more than once, but in the overall balance of the night he was more and better than Nacional. And by the way, they surpassed none other than Boca in the race to reach the Club World Cup that will take place in the United States between June 15 and July 13 of next year.
The best of River’s triumph
Palmeiras, Flamengo and Fluminense are already classified for having been the champions of the last editions of the Libertadores. The fourth will come from the 2024 version, and the fifth and sixth places in South America (the tournament will have 32 participants) will be defined by the best positioned in the Conmebol ranking, which had Boca as the leader (71 points) and as the escort to River (70). Now, the Millionaire climbed to 73, even with a lot to add yet.
River faced a rival with a handful of peculiarities that are related to them. Nacional, this Nacional of Chino Álvaro Recoba, had started its journey through Group H with a 2-0 victory over Libertad of Paraguay, in Montevideo, the same result with which Núñez’s team won on the first date over Deportivo Táchira, in Venezuela.
Recoba, who took office in October and, in the best Demichelis style, does not usually use the same formation in two consecutive games, is the same one who was summoned by Marcelo Gallardo to make history together in the Bolso thirteen years ago; the same one who once faced Demichelis – then a defender at Bayern Munich – as an Inter Milan forward in the 2006/07 Champions League.
Nacional, which is fourth in the Uruguayan competition with 13 points in 7 games, below Peñarol, Progreso and Boston River, has just beaten Cerro Largo 1-0 with a goal from Gabriel Báez, one of the full-backs. The other, Leandro Lozano, converted in the cup match against Libertad. Perhaps these data represent a synthesis of what the coach intends: the arrival from the outside, as part of the general pressure, something that was difficult for him to achieve at the beginning of his management when he only achieved two wins in the first six presentations.
When the 1-0 seemed sealed, Colidio scored the second with a header. And bye National. Matter resolved. In two weeks, on Wednesday the 24th, River will go for more in Asunción against Libertad for the third date. But that will be another story.