River Take Care of Business at Home.

By: Mauro | October 3rd, 2008

Completely dependent on their performance in this competition, River Plate were desperate to advance. Elimination could have meant having to play in the local league where they had no chance at any silverware. And no silverware would have meant Simeone’s head. But, the Uruguayans were not going to just roll over, they had come into this match with a few tactical changes specifically to try to neutralize River’s midfield creativity. There was definitely something to play for.

Early on in the first half, River Plate insisted with getting the ball to Sebastián Abreu and gave him to close calls in the Defensor penalty area. But just after a chance for Defensor from Diego De Souza, Paulo Ferrari outran and out thought Defensor defender Sebastian Ariosa and stole a ball that the defender had under wraps. Ariosa’s touch went a little too far from him and Ferrari stepped in behind the defense with the ball and slammed it home. River Plate 1-0 in only the 8th minute.

Given that now the Uruguayans were not able to sit back and slowly work at cutting the home side’s lead from the first leg, Defensor was obligated to head forward in search of the equalizer. It seemed more and more that Pablo Gaglianone was the center piece of their offense and the one who motivated the rest of the squad to press forward.

While it was tough work, Defensor did good work getting their opponent’s penalty area as often as the home side did. So the match had a little back and forth to it. With River Plate able to surprise collectively and Defensor pushing forward a little more individually.

The second half was more of the same. River had more possession and seemed to be more decisive. Defensor subbed on (ex-Boca) Julio Marchant and that gave Defensor a little more ball control which they had seemed to have lost a bit of at the end of the first half.

The Uruguayans attacked inconsistently and had a few opportunities but the River defense, while it had not been terribly solid, had not been terribly awful either.

In the 74th minute, recently subbed on Diego Barrado was able to extend River’s lead. After a long cross from the right, Abreu got a head to it and simultaneously served it up for Barrado who pre-empted his marker to the ball. Defensor keeper, Martín Silva had no choice but to strike a pose as Barrado blasted it past him from a yard out. 2-0 to River and someone in the Director’s office fires up their computer to book tickets for the team to Mexico.

Both goals caught the defense a little sleepy where they were either not aware of the offensive players around them and were flatfooted.

But in the waning minutes, River’s players might have been looking ahead to their trip to Mexico because after a fantastic cross from Rodrigo Mora to Maximiliano Perez, both came on off the bench in this one, and Perez scored with a lovely backheel to catch River keeper, Juan Ojeda, off guard. 2-1 to River Plate.

The remaining moments of the match were fleeting and the end came shortly thereafter.

Final Score: 2-1 to River Plate.

I had this one ending 1-0 to River. I was a couple of goals off and the difference between the two sides was still one goal.

River Plate qualified to the Quarter Finals where they’ll meet Chivas de Guadalajara. I’m not looking forward to the long trip for my boys out to Mexico but hey, Chivas’ players have to make that trip to play us here a week after.

Feel free to check the CONMEBOL website for results and information about upcoming matches and for those of you in need of a bracket to get your heads around the competition, get one here.