EN
ESRiver secures a solid win in Santa Fe and progresses in the Argentine Cup
Martín Demichelis’ team put on a strong performance and beat Excursionistas 3-0, with goals from Borja, Mastantuono (a historic one), and Ruberto. Franco Armani stood out and made a penalty save to prevent a temporary equalizer.
In a new edition of the Argentine Cup, River asserted its presence right from the off. River began to dominate on the right wing, capitalizing on Agustín Sant’Anna’s constant forward movements. Sant’Anna played a crucial role in two attacks: a cross that didn't reach Miguel Borja and another attempt that went wide. The sequence unfolded once more with a precise pass from the defender and a clear header from the Colombian No. 9 that sailed over the crossbar.
River continued to push for the goal: Nacho Fernández couldn’t convert a free kick, Paulo Díaz came close to scoring after a series of rebounds, and then two clear chances arose: a superb free kick from Franco Mastantuono that hit Nahuel Cajal’s right post, and a one-on-one attempt by Borja (assisted by Nacho) that was well saved by the Excursionistas keeper.
Shortly after the start of the second half, Borja didn't miss his chance: Cajal gave a rebound after a right-footed shot from Mastantuono and cleared it off the line with sheer determination. In a quick counterattack from the rival team, Franco Armani fouled Leonel Barrios in the box, but River’s captain stood tall and saved the striker’s penalty kick.
With that momentum and the entry of Esequiel Barco and Enzo Díaz onto the field, River widened the lead to 2-0: the midfielder and the defender joined forces in the attack, and after some rebounds in the box, Mastantuono scored his first and historic goal wearing the River jersey. At the end, Agustín Ruberto slotted the ball into the net after an assist by Andrés Herrera. Thus, River secured an important win to move to the next stage of the Argentine Cup; this Sunday, the team will visit Deportivo Riestra for the LPF Cup.
- Tags
- First Team
