Anguish takes over the Monumental. The match enters stoppage time and River falls before Lanus at the resumption of the Professional League after the Copa America break. But on the field of play, the one who doesn’t panic is that dark, burly man wearing the number 9 on his back. It is he who rescues Martín Demichelis’ team from defeat and once again seals the tie as he had done a while before to seal the final result at 2-2. Glory belongs to Miguel Borja.
River was losing 1-0 when Demichelis sent Borja onto the field. It mattered little that he returned on Friday after having four days of vacation after playing the Copa América final the previous Sunday with Colombia against Argentina and being runner-up in America. The Colombian had a special energy and he showed it as soon as he stepped onto the field after his usual prayer on his knees looking at the sky and opening his arms before entering.
With his entry, Demichelis modified the formation and left Borja as the spearhead. He took off Aliendro and Solari and Colidio remained on the sides as wingers. However, the equalizer came due to a gross error by Ezekiel Munoz and a clever move by the Colombian. The Lanús defender let it fall short when he passed the ball back to goalkeeper Aguerre and Borja took advantage of it to put the ball into the net.
River did not play well before the goal and did not start to do so after the tie, but at least they had another initiative. Supported by their people and the “movete River, movete” that came down with force from the stands with force, as a way of encouragement and also of claim, pushed against the arch of Aguerewho blocked four key balls. One of them in the first half, to stop a free kick from Lanzini and the others in the second half.
River was having trouble putting together a game. And they repeated old problems. Demichelis can’t find a way around the midfield. He changes names and schemes but doesn’t achieve good performances. And beyond the neatness of Peña, standing as the only five, and the desire and the approach of Mastantuonothe team could not find the key to unlock Lanús’s lock. It was repeated in inconsequential touches, inside and horizontally, generally. Aliendro seemed lost and Lanzini did not weigh. In addition, he lacked presence on the wings, which should be occupied in attack by the full-backs. But neither Simón nor Enzo Diaz They knew how to take advantage of it, especially against the former Talleres player, who every time he received the ball when he was ahead, he would touch the ball back. River had no depth.
Martin Demichelis was booed. Photo: Matias Baglietto.
To the team of Demichelis He also lacked the ability to pass between the lines. And without it, he didn’t play more directly. And that was despite the fact that he had started the match with voracity. After 10 seconds, after a long ball he left Solari one-on-one, but the striker finished high.
Lanús, for its part, waited in ambush for the moment. With a firm and unbreakable 4-4-2, which Zielinski gave way to in the second half to a 5-3-2, it was supported by the hands of Aguerre, the security of Izquierdoz and Luciatti and a fighting midfield. And it surprised at the start of the second half when, after a long ball, Jonathan Torres He easily beat Paulo Díaz and attended Marcelino Morenowho left Gattoni and Simón paying (he didn’t want to give him a penalty) and defined with a subtle touch with his left foot against Ledesma.
When River tied the game after Múñoz’s mistake and Borja’s foul, Lanús did not despair and continued to defend strongly, although dangerously close to its goal. Even so, it did not suffer too much. River’s performance was more impetus than clarity. There were some overflows that brought risk but it knew how to overcome them. Like Simón’s cross, cut by Luciatti, who threw himself at his feet and his ball hit Fernando Rapallini’s arm, although it was not clear to him. and the VAR was supportive.
Ledesma and his official debut in goal for River. Photo: Matías Baglietto.
The match was going away, but there was no excitement. Demichelis had already dismantled half of the field and sent Bareiro onto the field and Nacho Fernandez. And Lanús took advantage of the spaces to strike again. Gattoni was confident and did not reject, Morgantini He took the ball from him but Ledesma blocked his shot. The play continued and a cross from Moreno reached the head of Torres, who beat the ex-San Lorenzo player to make it 2-1 and excite the Monumental.
But before it became hell, Borja appeared again. He got off the plane on Friday and, with the strength of his faith, pushed the ball into the net between several legs and rescued River. Without him, there is no paradise in Núñez…
