River couldn't pull it off in the first leg of the semifinal Marcelo Gallardo's team lost 1-0 to Gremio, at the Monumental Stadium, and will now go in search of qualification to Brazil.

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The first minutes were very even, with two teams measuring each other and a game that was interrupted by repeated infractions. However, it was "El Millonario" who tried: Juan Quintero and Exequiel Palacios made a nice play on the left, in which the young riverplatense was not able to send the center comfortably.

Leonardo Ponzio then tried a left-footed shot from outside the area, while Gremio barely disturbed Franco Armani with two headers and a good shot from Cicero that River’s goalkeeper deflected over the crossbar.

The last three were for Gallardo's team: Palacios struck twice from the outside, but Grohe appeared both times to respond. In the last one, after a corner kick from the left, Javier Pinola carried the ball into what could have been the opening of the score for ”El Más Grande”.

In the second half, River couldn't keep possession and had a hard time generating danger in the rival's goal, except for a clear header from Jonatan Maidana that went very close to Grohe's crossbar. Gremio, in one of their few opportunities, took advantage of a corner kick, and Michel headed home, 1-0. From then on, they played a well-closed game, and "El Millonario" couldn't find the space to reach the equalizer.

Now, the series will be defined next week in Brazil, where River must go in search of a victory to at least force the definition by Penalty Kicks. On Saturday, they will host Aldosivi for another "Superliga" match day.

SYNTHESIS

RIVER PLATE: Franco Armani; Gonzalo Montiel, Jonatan Maidana, Javier Pinola, Milton Casco; Leonardo Ponzio (C), Exequiel Palacios, Juan Quintero, Gonzalo Martínez; Ignacio Scocco and Rafael Borré. DT: Marcelo Gallardo.

Substitutes: Germán Lux, Lucas Martínez Quarta, Camilo Mayada, Bruno Zuculini, Ignacio Fernández, Enzo Pérez and Lucas Pratto.

Changes: Pratto for Scocco, Fernández for Palacios, Pérez for Ponzio.

GREMIO: Marcelo Grohe; Leonardo, Geromel, Walter Kannemann, Cortez; Michel, Maicon (C), Cicero, Ramiro; Alisson and Jael. DT: Renato.

Substitutes: Paulo Victor, Paulo Miranda, Kaio, Thaciano, Douglas, Pepê and Thonny Anderson.

Changes: Anderson for Jael, Thaciano for Ramiro, Kaio for Alisson.

Goal: Michel (G).

Admonished: Borré, Maidana, Pinola, Ponzio (RP); Alisson, Kannemann, Michel (G).

Referee: Víctor Carrillo (Peru).

Assistants: Jonny Bossio and Víctor Ráez (Peru).

Fourth referee: Diego Haro (Peru).

VAR: Leodan González (Uruguay).

AVAR 1: Esteban Ostojich (Uruguay).

AVAR 2: Richard Trinidad (Uruguay).

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