With two impressive goals, River won at the Bombonera Marcelo Gallardo’s team played with character and hierarchy: beating Boca Juniors 2-0, with goals from Pity Martinez and Nacho Scocco.

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“El Millonario” began with big physical presence, better positioned on the field, as in last year’s game, quickly pressuring Boca. A dangerous approach happened in the first minutes: Exequiel Palacios sent a cross shot from the right but no River player could reach the ball. The local team responded with a powerful shot by Darío Benedetto that Franco Armani rejected to the corner kick.

Then, Gonzalo Martínez's masterpiece arrived: River’s 10th, as in the “Superclásico” last year in this same court, blasted a spectacular left-footed volley to open the score. Then, after an infraction by Wilmar Barrios, he had to be replaced by Juan Quintero.

River continued to control the game, and had only a few disturbances: like a shot made by Benedetto that Armani contained, and a Cristian Pavón crossed pass that Carlos Tevez missed inside the small area, near the first post of the riverplatense’s goalkeeper. Meanwhile, in a controversial play, Mauro Vigliano only admonished the newly admitted, Edwin Cardona, for hitting Enzo Pérez with his elbow.

In the second half, River found it difficult at first, because they weren’t able to find the ball and Boca pushed in search of an equalizer, although they practically did not pose a genuine danger to Armani's goal: he had two attempts made by Cardona, a shot from outside and a free kick that went wide.

However, Gallardo sent Ignacio Scocco to the field and Nacho only took five minutes to make what he does best: after Borré managed to control the ball at the area, the 32nd arrowed a tremendous shoot at Rossi’s goal. This way, “El Millonario” got the 2-0 and began securing the Superclásico.

And of course, in the stoppage time, Emmanuel Mas got a header and Armani, quick of his line, flew over his left post, avoiding the discount of the local team, which at that point was left with no hope. River won once again at the “Bombonera”, with authority, and now will wait for Sunday's game against Lanus, and then a rematch against Independiente at the Monumental.

SYNTHESIS

BOCA JUNIORS: Agustín Rossi; Leonardo Jara, Carlos Izquierdoz, Lisandro Magallán, Emmanuel Mas; Nahitan Nández, Wilmar Barrios, Agustín Almendra; Cristian Pavón, Carlos Tevez (C) and Darío Benedetto. DT: Guillermo Barros Schelotto.Substitutes: Javier Bustillos, Paolo Goltz, Julio Buffarini, Pablo Pérez, Edwin Cardona, Mauro Zárate and Sebastián Villa.Changes: Cardona for Jara, Zárate for Tevez, Villa for Benedetto.

RIVER PLATE: Franco Armani; Gonzalo Montiel, Jonatan Maidana, Javier Pinola, Milton Casco; Leonardo Ponzio (C), Exequiel Palacios, Enzo Pérez; Gonzalo Martínez; Rafael Borré and Lucas Pratto. DT: Marcelo Gallardo.Substitutes: Germán Lux, Lucas Martínez Quarta, Camilo Mayada, Bruno Zuculini, Juan Quintero, Rodrigo Mora and Ignacio Scocco.Changes: Quintero for Martinez, Zuculini for Pérez, Scocco for Pratto.

Goals: Martínez, Scocco (RP).

Admonished: Barrios, Cardona, Almendra, Nández, Izquierdoz (BJ); Ponzio, Maidana (RP).

Referee: Mauro Vigliano.

Assistants: Hernán Maidana and Juan Pablo Belatti.

Fourth referee: Silvio Trucco.

Additional assistants: Facudno Tello and Nicolás Lamolina.

Assistant substitute referee: Cristian Navarro.

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