River won in Asunción and gave the first step Marcelo Gallardo’s team beat Guaraní 2-0, with goals scored by Ignacio Scocco and Marcelo Larrondo, in the first leg of the round of sixteen of the Libertadores.

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River began much better. With control over the ball and making it roll properly, el Millonario started creating danger. First, it warned with a couple of plays well put together, that could not be turned into goals.

The first clear one was at Lucas Alario’s head: after Milton Casco’s center from the left, the forward glanced a header that went barely deviated by the left goalpost of the goalkeeper Alfredo Aguilar. Then, Gonzalo Martínez threatened with a powerful shot from outside.

The local answered with Epifanio García’s one-to-one and an excellent response from Augusto Batalla. In the following, Ignacio Scocco warned: he could not give direction to a marked header after another good center of Casco.

And relief arrived at the feet of the new reinforcement: in a free kick, Scocco shot downward, the ball got deflected in the wall and went into Guaraní’s goalpost. Seconds later, the match was interrupted due to a power cut. Once the match was resumed, River didn’t get any fright and went to half time with the lead.

In the second half, River kept controlling the game and attacking properly. Jorge Moreira had a couple of approaches, while Batalla said present once again with a tremendous catch of a shot by García. In another dangerous play of the local, Ignacio Fernández avoided the tie on the line after a corner kick.

River had two very clear opportunities: one, at the feet of Moreira, who could not succeed in a one-to-one with the goalkeeper and another from Marcelo Larrondo, but the forward got even: hit a precise header after a free kick and shouted the well-deserved 2-0 in Asunción.

Now, el Millonario will begin the recess and the second leg will be played on August 8, in the Monumental Stadium, to define the move to quarter-finals.

SYNTHESIS

GUARANÍ: Alfredo Aguilar; Robert Rojas, Hernán Novick, Marcelo Palau (Captain), Epifanio García, Luis de la Cruz, Luis Cabral, Carlos Rolón, Juan Aguilar, Rodrigo Bogarín and Antonio Marín. Coach: Daniel Garnero.
Substitutes: Ever Caballero, Rodolfo Gamarra, Rodrigo López, Alberto Contrera, Ismael Reyes, Wilson Pittoni and Nery Bareiro.
Substitutions: López for Marín, Gamarra for Novick, Reyes for García.

RIVER PLATE: Augusto Batalla; Jorge Moreira, Luciano Lollo, Javier Pinola, Milton Casco; Leonardo Ponzio (Captain), Ariel Rojas, Gonzalo Martínez, Ignacio Fernández; Ignacio Scocco and Lucas Alario. Coach: Marcelo Gallardo.
Substitutes: Enrique Bologna, Gonzalo Montiel, Iván Rossi, Exequiel Palacios, Tomás Andrade, Carlos Auzqui and Marcelo Larrondo.
Substitutions: Larrondo for Scocco, Rossi for Rojas, Auzqui for Martínez.

Goals: Scocco; Larrondo (RP).

Booked: De la Cruz, Cabral, Novick, Aguilar (G); Casco, Scocco, Ponzio, Moreira (RP).

Referee: Andrés Cunha (Uruguay).

Assistant referees: Nicolás Tarán and Mauricio Espinosa (Uruguay).

Fourth Official: Esteban Ostojich (Uruguay).

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