The millionaire moved past Red, earned the right to swing, and keeps his flawless run intact with another crushing win.
Every weekend the same question resurfaces in Argentine football: can any team stop River’s relentless machine? For now, the answer remains no. Since that surprising loss to Arsenal, Martín Demichelis’s squad has rattled off eight straight victories, conceding no goals and rarely needing everything to go right to seal decisions in big margins, except for the stumble against Newell’s. The rhythm is nearly flawless, and momentum is on River’s side as they press toward the end of the campaign.
The latest challenger was Independiente, a side that began with a plan to absorb, retreat, counter, and strike when the moment appeared. River watched, retreated, and never came out of their shell again. Armani’s only test was a saved shot from Cauteruccio in an offside-flagged sequence, a snapshot of the tactical approach that Zielinski, the Russian mind in charge, tends to favor at the Monumental. His squad simply did not provide the proper answer, and River controlled the tempo as if scripting a routine that worked too well to doubt.
River played with patience until the opening appeared and then delivered what could be called the ex’s law, a precise finish from Esequiel Barco. The timing could have come sooner, and the visitors could have paid for lapses, especially in the second half when Barco emerged as the sole source of resistance for a Red side that was stifled. Borja’s decisive moment arrived, a rush down the flank culminating in a crisp right-footed strike that left the keeper stranded and the result secure.
With the win, River extended their lead to five points over San Lorenzo, while also widening the goal difference. The crowd was left in a state of euphoria with just two weeks remaining before a Superclásico that now looks like a formality in River’s favor and a showcase of their current dominance in Argentine football. The league schedule for the Binance Professional League Tournament 2023 continues to unfold with fixtures and results shaping the final stretch, setting River up as the team to beat as the season nears its climax.
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RIVER PLATE – INDEPENDIENTE, MINUTE BY MINUTE
- The minute by minute narrative of the Millionaire facing the Red unfolds here.
THE TARGET EXAMPLE
HOW TO WATCH LIVE ON TV AND STREAMING
The clash between the Millionaire and the Red is shown in Argentina on ESPN Premium, a package available through partner cable providers with sports channels as part of the package. The coverage brings viewers the live action, analysis, and immediate reactions from the stadium to the living rooms of fans across the country.
ESPN premium
FORMATION
RIVER PLATE
Franco Armani; Milton Casco, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Paulo Diaz, Enzo Diaz; Ignacio Fernández, Enzo Pérez, Rodrigo Aliendro, Nicolas de la Cruz; Esequiel Barco, Lucas Beltran. DT: Martin Demichelis.
INDEPENDIENTE
Rodrigo Rey; Luciano Gomez, Sergio Barreto, Cristian Baez, Joaquin Laso, Damian Perez; Agustin Mulet, Ivan Marcone; Mauricio Cuero, Martin Cauteruccio, Matias Gimenez. DT: Ricardo Zielinski.
The overview above reflects the encounter and the tactical frameworks employed by both squads as observed by the league’s analysts and match reporters. The dramatic arc of River’s campaign and the resilience of Independiente are documented in post-match summaries and official lineups.
Note: details summarized here align with match reports and league-wide statistics published for the Binance Professional League Tournament 2023 and subsequent recaps. [Goal]