HERE IS THE CHAMPION: RIVER TOOK THE FIRST STEP AGAINST LIGA River started with a victory in its defense of the Copa Sudamericana: at the Monumental stadium, it beat Liga de Quito 2-0 and it even had chances to win with a broader result.

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Marcelo Gallardo's team made its presentation at this year's Copa Sudamericana, having won last year version. The rival was LigaDeportivaUniversitaria Quito -in the round of 16.

River played better from the beginning and created many clear scoring situations with Leonardo Pisculichi, Rodrigo Mora, NicolásBertolo and Lucas Alario. It was the player number 13 who opened the scoreboard after a good collective move that was born in Carlos Sánchez and which culminated with a subtle touch of the player number 7 to Alario, who defined with hierarchy close to the post.

Thus, River ended the first half with a minimum advantage instead of all scoring chances it generated. In the second half, Liga de Quito waited to counterattack River, but the local team continued looking for the second goal, though it had to wait to score: TabaréViudez sent a good cross from the right and Mora scored a great header for the definitive 2 - 0.

The seriewill be defined next Wednesday in Quito, where River will try to qualify for the quarterfinals.

SYNTHESIS

RIVER PLATE: Marcelo Barovero (C); Gabriel Mercado, JonatanMaidana, Eder AlvarezBalanta, Milton Casco; Carlos Sánchez, Matías Kranevitter; Nicolás Bertolo; Leonardo Pisculichi; Rodrigo Mora and Lucas Alario. Coach: Marcelo Gallardo.
Substitutes: Julio Chiarini, Emanuel Mammana, Camilo Mayada, Leonardo Ponzio, Tabaré Viudez, Gonzalo Martínez and Javier Saviola.
Changes: MartinezBertolo, Mayada by Mercado, Viudez byPisculichi.

LIGA DE QUITO: Alexander Domínguez; Norberto Araujo (C), Luis Romero, José Madrid; Fernando Hidalgo, Luis Canga, Jefferson Intriago, PervisEstupiñán; Diego Morales, José Cevallos and JonatanÁlvez. Coach: Luis Zubeldía.
Substitutes: Daniel Viteri, Narciso Mina, NéicerReasco, Andrés Mendoza, Luis Congo, Hólger Matamoros and Juan Cavallaro.
Changes: Cavallaro by Morales, Congo by Álvez.

Goal: Alario, Mora (RP).

Cautioned: Maidana, Á. Balanta (RP); Romero, Estupiñán, Madrid (LDU).

Sent off: Romero (LDU).

Referee: Christian Ferreyra (Uru.).
Assistants: Miguel Nievas and Gabriel Popovits (Uru.).
Alternate Referee: Diego Ceballos (Arg.).
Referee assessor: Miguel Scime (Arg.).