“We are still not what we want to be.” Now with three forwards, River is still a two-faced team, strange

River won again on the night of the rotation and the formula of the front three of movement instead of the five steering wheels. The streak of four consecutive draws ended that bothered him so much. He did not do it with a round, even and solvent performance. Good in the first half and too dispersed in the second. Again giving that image of ambivalent, two-faced, strange team, which is approaching victory and in an unexpected situation puts it at risk. That was not the case Independent Rivadaviaas dignified as it is precarious. “We are still not what we want to be”said Martin Demichelis at the press conference about the football status of his team.

It was enough for River with its football resources, superior to those of the Mendoza team. And he imposed the law of the scorer that has been resolving several lawsuits. The law of Miguel Borjawhich is again in the version before suffering the tear.

The River players in the final greeting to the fans, after ending a series of four draws with a 2-0 at the Monumental.Manuel Cortina

The calendar is tight, with the tenth game in 38 days, the visit to Independiente in Avellaneda and the final next Wednesday against Students by Argentine Super Cup. The technical director now uses a deeper squad than the one he had at the beginning of the season. League Cup. Milton Casco is backacclaimed by the fans, after a meniscus operation and one inactivity of three and a half months. Sebastian Boselli by Leandro González Pirez, the return of Nicolas Fonsecathe novelty of offensive trident Solari-Borja-Colidio and the “Little Devil” Echeverri as a hook, so that he could display his creativity and his ease. Rest for “Nacho” Fernández and Esequiel Barco.

And one update on the reaction of the supporters when Demichelis is mentioned by the Monumental speakers: downward applause and whistles less and less scattered. At the press conference, the coach once again threw flowers at the fans: “We must thank them for their support, for filling the Monumental again late on a weekday.”

Highlights of River 2 vs. Independent Rivadavia 0

The previous reading indicated that it could be the meeting to share efforts and experiment. The promoted Independiente Rivadavia arrived with five consecutive defeats and a new technical director, Martín Cicotello, trained in the Italian school. An influence that could be noticed in his approach (4-1-4-1).

He Renovated Riveralso thought in terms of the transcendent visit next Saturday to Independiente in Avellaneda, was similar to that of the previous weeks in its Borja’s dependence for the goal. The Colombian began disconnected, somewhat out of sorts due to the friction with the visiting defenders. It was the moment in which River became unbalanced with Facundo Colidio, unexpected left wing, a role to which he adapted thanks to his very good technical conditions. Without bite and without overflow, obviously, but with repertoire to cut inwards and be sharp.

River’s first three scoring situations (including a header off a post) involved Colidio. Independiente had started with the intention of pressing near the middle of the field, but found itself increasingly cornered. Without much elaboration in the middle due to the lack of midfielders, River quickly made the ball reach the area, also with the rise of Marcelo Herreracareful to take out the centers.

Facundo Colidio, one of River’s best in the first half, controls the ball against Luciano Abecasis; The attacker surprised with the left wing position.Manuel Cortina

The visiting defense was defeated easily: in a corner from Echeverri, they neglected Borja, who headed at will to make it 1-0. Sixth aerial goal in the League Cup by the Colombian, who had prepared a celebration with a self-recognition: he went to look for a shirt with the Nº 200the amount of goals in his professional career.

With the goal, Borja definitively got into the game, he became the finisher of the advances. He smashed a ball off the crossbar in a shot in the six-yard box. Incredible. The Colombian was the lighthouse: Solari looked for him and the shot from No. 9 deflected in Gaston Gil Romero for 2-0.

Calm with the two-goal advantage, River continued to attack, but in a more dispersed manner. The archer Gonzalo Marinelli At times he seemed like an apprentice, due to the number of rebounds he conceded. River was loose, but not very decisive, and too stretched in several passages. Franco Armani He did not have a night of absolute relaxation. Before the first minute of play was over he had taken a header from Victor Ramis. Cicotello made offensive changes and Independiente found several free areas to advance. He found the greatest limits in Paulo Diazhe defensive leader who plays for him and some absent-minded teammate, and for Armani’s safety.

With the first goal, Miguel Borja reached the 200 mark in his professional career.JUAN MABROMATA – AFP

The time has come for changes in River. Echeverri, who had felt discomfort in a fall, was replaced by Franco Mastantuono, applauded at the Monumental, unlike “Diablito”, who generated disaffection in the fan from the moment he said he was not going to stay at the club for long. Something that was confirmed a few days later, with the transfer to Manchester City.

The Monumental began to be entertained more with their chants than with what was happening on the field. The fans celebrated their loyalty and commitment to a team that took advantage of the opportunity to become the fourth leader in zone A. A victory that River could not pass up. Saturday will be another story, with another formation and different demands, which the other Independiente in Avellaneda will pose.

Claudio Mauri

Themes

River PlateLeague Cup 2024Independiente Rivadavia de MendozaMiguel BorjaMundo River

Other news from League Cup 2024

After 2-0. Demichelis in 8 minutes: Borja, Independiente, the high points and thanks to the public… who partly whistled him

In the Monumental. River won, ending the streak of four draws and Borja scored two goals, but Armani was a figure

B side. Kily González’s hug with a kiss to a line judge, Medina’s iron and the phrase of the “worried” Boca coach