River Qualified to the Libertadores Cup Quarterfinals Marcelo Gallardo’s team of having won by 2-0 in Asunción and drew by 1-1 at the Monumental against Guaraní to secure its qualification for the next round.

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At another winning night at the Monumental Stadium after the recess and the preseason, River Plate played before its fans with great hope and with the goal of qualifying to the CONMEBOL Libertadores Bridgestone Cup Quarterfinals after its victory by 2-0 at the first leg match.

During the first half, River owned the ball and played carefully, trying to be sharp through the sides, and cause discomfort to the rival team. Gonzalo Martinez shot a good kick from outside the area that was deflected by Alfredo Aguilar. Then, Javier Pinola was not able to connect a corner kick.

The rival team just worried with shots that caused no danger, while Lucas Alario, with a header that went close, and Nacho Fernández, who could not kick easily after a play by Enzo Pérez, had the first one.

Just when the minute of overtime was due, Guaraní took advantage with a second play and Marcelo Palau scored with a header from inside the area before the first half was over.

During the second half, Alario shot a deviated kick, and Guaraní had the chance of a second goal with Cristian Chávez. However, El Millonario reacted with a shot by Fernández, after Alario assisted. In the following play, Javier Pinola capitalized a series of bounces after a corner kick and scored the goal that drew the match with a play that made it seem as if Alario had been the author of the goal.

After that, River had no surprises. The Greatest could have even won the match: Martínez shot a kick that went above the crossbar, and Ignacio Scocco, at its debut at the Monumental, almost scored the second goal with an accurate free kick that was barely deviated.

Now, El Millonario has to wait for the winner of the match between Atlético Mineiro and Jorge Wilstermann to play the Quarterfinals of the Cup.


SUMMARY
RIVER PLATE: Germán Lux; Jorge Moreira, Jonatan Maidana, Javier Pinola, Milton Casco; Enzo Pérez, Leonardo Ponzio (C), Ariel Rojas, Ignacio Fernández; Gonzalo Martínez; Lucas Alario. COACH: Marcelo Gallardo.
Substitutes: Augusto Batalla, Alexander Barboza, Luciano Lollo, Iván Rossi, Exequiel Palacios, Carlos Auzqui and Ignacio Scocco.
Substitutions: Scocco for Pérez, Auzqui for Martínez.

GUARANÍ: Alfredo Aguilar; Luis de la Cruz, Robert Rojas, Luis Cabral, Tomás Bartomeus; Antonio Marín, Fidencio Oviedo, Marcelo Palau (C), Rodrigo Bogarín; Rodrigo López and Cristian Chávez. COACH: Daniel Garnero.
Substitutes: Víctor Centurión, Edgar Aranda, Nery Bareiro, Rodolfo Gamarra, Wilson Pittoni, Guillermo Beltrán and Ismael Reyes.
Substitutions: Reyes for Marín, Gamarra for Bogarín, Beltrán for López.

Goals: Pinola (RP); Palau (G).
Booked: Bartomeus, Oviedo, Palau, Cabral (G).

Referee: Roddy Zambrano (Ecuador).
Assistant Referees: Byron Romero and Luis Vera (Ecuador).
Fourth Official: Carlos Orbe (Ecuador).

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