It is as true that the result ended up being quite short as that
River
needed a night like this, dominating their rival comprehensively and suffocating them in their own half. Deportivo Táchira could barely hold on, praying not to break under the pressure of each attack. This match was crucial due to the team's recent setbacks – elimination from the Argentine Cup and a defeat against Argentinos – and the tense atmosphere in the stands. Demichelis, along with some benched players, faced mass whistles from a stadium that was only about 40% full at the time.
Despite the pressure and the goalless start (it took 51 minutes to score), River triumphed. From the first minute, and almost without letting up, their dominance was total and overwhelming. This success was largely due to the coach's strategy: knowing they would control 71% of possession, the three-pronged approach paid off. Both Solari and Colidio played more centrally alongside Borja rather than as wingers, roles taken by Sant'Anna (who had a solid performance, reinforcing his place on the right) and Enzo Díaz.
Bold, but coherent: the Venezuelans, who left Uribe alone in front of a block of nine defenders, never managed to counterattack, hindered by poor passing and River's excellent high pressure. Boselli and Paulo Díaz were outstanding in this area, pushing the lines to their maximum. By always opening the field with the full-backs and crowding the area to counteract Táchira's defensive density, River Plate generated numerous opportunities, although their finishing was often lacking.
The fact that only 10 out of 32 shots were on target is telling, but even more so is that the team entered the opponent's area 50 times. The gameplay was well-constructed, with Echeverri being particularly sharp, active, precise, and adept at dribbling. Fonseca found long opportunities as easily as he missed short passes, Colidio made connections, and Borja was unstoppable, performing key hold-up play. His two goals reaffirmed that River has a reliable scorer to depend on.
So, what was the fault? Demichelis' men sometimes succumbed to complex touches and often chose the wrong moments to shoot. Otherwise, the result could have been a larger victory, though it wasn’t necessary to be the best in the group stage, as Palmeiras had already drawn with San Lorenzo.
For this River team, which changes drastically from home to away games, regaining their top form is as crucial as leading the group stage with the most points. The night was so positive that even the four Under-17 World Cup players got some playtime.
Now, the focus will be on maintaining this level and hoping for a favorable draw in the round of 16. They are already number one.
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