River Plate welcomed San Martin de Tucuman at the Monumental de Nuñez stadium with the only objective of achieving a victory that would bring them closer to Copa Libertadores 2020 qualification.
With several injured, Marcelo Gallardo had to appeal to the rotation of some players to face a rival that with a new manager was a mystery as it was going to work and stand on the court.
LINEUPS
In the absence of Gonzalo Montiel, Ezequiel Palacios, and Enzo Perez, River Plate stood on the pitch with a 3-4-1-2 tactical system.
With three central defenders stepped pressing almost in the opposite half, a line of the midfield of four players with Ponzio in contention and recovery of the ball, Quintero free to lead the team and two fast and powerful forwards as Borre and Pratto.
San Martin de Tucuman with a classic 4-4-2 bet to recover the ball and try to hurt by using the counter-attack.
FIRST HALF
After just three minutes, River Plate suffered the injury of Milton Casco and had to modify the initial plans.
With the entry of Nicolas De La Cruz, the system tactics became more offensive, the central defenders played more open, with Pinola playing the Stopper function for left or left-back according to the play required and Ponzio getting between the central defenders to leave quickly with the ball on your feet.
San Martin de Tucuman only resisted in his field and Armani was a spectator more.
At 32 minutes, a great combination between Quintero and Pratto that held back the ball in the area and returned it back to Quintero with an exquisite shot made useless stretched the goalkeeper of San Martin De Tucuman and unleashed the madness in the fans of the Millionarios.
In the 38th minute, Nacho Fernandez was replaced for injury and entered the young Cristian Ferreira.
River sought to define the game in the first 45 minutes but the lack of efficiency made them go to half-time only one goal up.
SECOND HALF
River Plate continued to be the only team that sought to make goals against a rival who was only very light and very defensive.
Quintero had a nice opportunity after a pass back from De La Cruz, Pratto in front of the goal shot at the hands of a very safe Carranza and Gallardo tired of not being able to define the match sent to the field to Matias Suarez by a tired Quintero.
Suarez had the goal in the first ball he touched, but miraculously Carranza took it to the corner, but at the 84th minute he was going to have his revenge, and after a good play between De La Cruz and Pratto, the ball stayed with him to push it to goal.
River Plate could have done some more goal, but a defensive oversight made San Martin de Tucuman reach the discount at minute 89 with a run and great definition of Ramiro Costa.
The last minutes were of great tension, between River Plate that endured the result and San Martin that looked for the tie.
CONCLUSION
River Plate knows that their only goal this season in the SuperLiga Argentina is to get a ticket to the Copa Libertadores 2020. Just two points away from what is now the last classified, River Plate needs to win all the matches to reach their objective.
With Quintero at his maximum level, Gallardo knows that he can not speculate and go out to win with offensive soccer of the hand of the talented Colombian.
River Plate played at a good level and seem to have improved the level that led them to be Champions of America. But they should not relax and instead remain mentally focused. They have all the weapons and knows what the road is, it only depends on themselves to reach the goal.
Injuries will be a problem for Gallardo, Montiel, Perez, Palacios, Fernandez, and Casco are key players for the operation of the team, but the hand of the manager is now when it should be at its maximum expression.
