River Plate defeated Argentinos Juniors 2-0 in the Clausura-5 fixture of the Argentine Professional League at the Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti on Saturday evening. The result broke a run of four straight defeats for the hosts, who had failed to score in those matches. And here's the thing — this wasn't a match where possession told the whole story.
Gonzalo Montiel gave River the lead in the 37th minute, finishing from what proved to be their only big chance of the first half. The visitors responded with pressure but could not find a way back into it before the break. By then, River were already ahead on the scoreboard and psychologically in control of proceedings.
Argentinos Juniors came out with more intent after the interval, but River's defence held firm. The turning point came in the 89th minute when Alan Correa converted a penalty to seal the victory. It was a straightforward finish under no pressure, and River ended a barren spell with a result that mattered.
The statistics tell an interesting tale. Argentinos Juniors enjoyed 59 per cent possession and attempted 111 attacks compared to River's 85. Yet River created two big chances while the visitors managed only one. River registered three shots on target and scored twice, whereas Argentinos managed zero shots on target from seven attempts off target. Expected goals tell the same story: 1.58 for River against 0.70 for the visitors.
Both teams exchanged four yellow cards each, with River's Thiago Almada and Kevin Coronel of Argentinos booked in the second half. River made seven substitutions while their opponents used six, with neither side able to change the momentum significantly after the opening goal.
The result leaves both sides level on 29 points after 16 games, with River Plate remaining in second place and Argentinos Juniors holding third. For River, who had lost their last four matches without scoring, this victory was a statement of intent. To be fair, the manner of the win — clinical when it mattered — is what separates this result from a simple points accumulation.