From the lukewarm applause for the headliners when the voice of the stadium announced the team and the strong encouragement for the kids who were on the bench, to a first ovation after the first 45 minutes in which River
crushed Vélez
and a second after the
5th -0
end.
A win that was unthinkable in the previous match, due to how the team had played in the first two rounds.
But a result that allowed the millionaire public to reconnect with their players, with their coach, with
that historical football with a black palate
.
Even though it was a festival, it seemed short, because the best of the rival, lost, disoriented, lackluster, was the goalkeeper Marchiori who avoided a bigger win.
People were waiting to see and shout the goals of the 16-year-old
Franco Mastantuono
, ready to break records in Argentine soccer.
However, Micho took a gamble with the return of
Facundo Colidio
to accompany the Colombian
Miguel Borja
.
In the first 10 minutes, the former Tigre had three goal situations, two were avoided by Tomás Marchiori and the other was a great finish after a
very good team play
and a huge pass from Barco: he placed it with his chest between two defenders and scored against a archer, this time, helpless.
GREAT GOAL FROM RIVER!
Colidio did everything right and scored 1-0 against Vélez in the Más Monumental, for the #CopaDeLaLiga.
📺ESPN Premium |
Subscribe to the Football Pack at https://t.co/7jYILYACXi pic.twitter.com/ymTSakQY3A
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) February 4, 2024
With Vélez lost on the field, without a collective game, without defensive order, River made the most of a start that it had not had in a long time.
Barco managing the entire game from the left, well associated with Nacho Fernández, very active Colidio lying on the left with Enzo Díaz rising all the time, and Fonseca and Aliendro firm in the middle.
The goals came by decantation.
20 MINUTES, 2 GOALS... BORJA SCORES!!
The Colombian appears for the quick 2-0 of River vs.
Vélez in the #CopaDeLaLiga.
📺ESPN Premium |
Subscribe to the Football Pack at https://t.co/7jYILYACXi pic.twitter.com/QBI47y8qPl
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) February 4, 2024
After another great save by Marchiori, this time against a header from Borja, the second arrived.
Fernández came out from the corner with Herrera, again for Nacho, a precise center for the entry of Borja who, enabled, scored with a header.
And at 30, after a free kick from Barco, came Borja's second scoring header.
BOAT CENTER AND BORJA DOUBLE!
River goes 3-0 against Vélez in the #CopaDeLaLiga in half an hour of play!
📺ESPN Premium |
Subscribe to the Football Pack at https://t.co/7jYILYACXi pic.twitter.com/2IXohFMl04
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) February 4, 2024
There was a small reaction from Vélez.
In reality, River took his foot off the accelerator.
And then he suffered a little bit in his own area.
But the visitor did not take advantage of any of the rebounds he had nor could he beat Armani.
It was a mirage of the visit.
But also a wake-up call for Martín Demichelis, because a rival without ideas, who reached the point of striking out, with dead balls, made it quite complicated.
Then, as soon as he had some space, he came to the room in pure tiki-tiki.
FONSECA RECOVERED, COLIDIO SCORED AND RIVER'S FOURTH ARRIVED AGAINST VÉLEZ IN THE MOST MONUMENTAL.
📺ESPN Premium |
Subscribe to the Football Pack at https://t.co/7jYILYACXi pic.twitter.com/sykzv29g4I
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) February 4, 2024
Aquino had the ball in the middle, Fonseca pressed and the ball was left to Borja.
With the rival in a bad position, the response was lethal: the Colombian opened for Colidio, the striker extended for Nacho Fernández, who touched towards the middle for the entry of Barco, who let him continue with a cue towards Colidio, who converted the fourth, the second of his personal harvest.
River was a millionaire in goals and on top of that Vélez gave him a hand to reach fifth, after a bad pass from Florentín to Elías Gómez that was intercepted by Aliendro, who looked for Borja, deflected off Mammana in an attempt to clear, the ball went up on Marchiori and Hummingbird touched her head first before crossing the entire line.
The Colombian celebrated by pointing out with his hand that the goal was his own, that he had reached the hat-trick, to the happiness of a packed stadium.
BORJA'S HAT-TRICK!
Vélez's mistake at the start and FIFTH GOAL!!
of River vs.
Fortín in the #CopaDeLaLiga.
📺ESPN Premium |
Subscribe to the Football Pack at https://t.co/7jYILYACXi pic.twitter.com/tu4qQtBhRG
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) February 4, 2024
After the fifth, Demichelis had the luxury of making four changes at the same time and sent the kids Mastantuono and Ruberto to the field, as well as Palavecino and Funes Mori.
Later, 17-year-old youth Ian Subiabre.
Incidentally, there was an ovation for Paulo Díaz first and for the Colombian Borja later.
River started the game defending the present and ended up enjoying a perfect future with Mastantuono, Ruberto and Subiabre, all three well supported by Esequiel Barco, a 24-year-old veteran.
Of course, they had more than half an hour to round off a historic win - it was 5-0 but they never scored 6 against Vélez - and the goals did not come.
Just a detail for a plethoric Monumental, like rarely in the Demichelis era.
Vélez's present is worrying.
He got a point out of nine, he is last in the general classification and second to last in the averages.
The year is long, it is true, but this start does not help to find a game identity.
River, on the other hand, is the only leader in zone A and can only be reached this Monday by Argentinos and Instituto
Photo Maxi Failla - CLARIN