Phoenix secured a 1-0 victory over River Plate in the Segunda División's second phase on Sunday, with S. Guerrero's eighteenth-minute strike proving decisive. The result leaves River Plate in thirteenth place with four points from six matches, while Phoenix move up to third with eleven points. By then, the visitors had already established their foothold in the game.
River Plate dominated possession and territory, registering 114 attacks compared to Phoenix's 95. Yet only three of their shots found the target, while the visitors managed four on target despite having one fewer attack overall. And here's the thing — efficiency mattered more than volume in this encounter.
Guerrero's goal came when River Plate were still finding their rhythm, catching them before they could settle into their usual pattern. The home side had won their previous home fixture 2-0 against Progreso but followed that with two consecutive defeats, both 2-3 away losses. Phoenix, meanwhile, had not won since their twenty-second of August against Tacuarembó, though they had shown resilience with draws against Colón and Miramar.
The match remained evenly balanced until G. Segalerba received a red card in the eighty-first minute. Phoenix had already conceded the goal but maintained their shape under pressure. River Plate pushed for an equaliser but ran out of time, with their final shots falling short of the target.
Statistically, the game told a familiar story — River Plate created more chances but Phoenix took theirs. The visitors' single goal from four shots on target contrasts sharply with the hosts' three attempts that failed to break the deadlock. To be fair, River Plate's attacking output should have yielded more, but this was one of those days where the ball refused to roll their way.
