The Millionaire aimed to dominate from a higher plane, but two blows in just a few minutes left him unable to recover and the debut ended in defeat.
That ascent does not forgive, a line some call a cliché, yet it rings true here. This time River faced a stifling atmosphere in La Paz. The team tried to seize control of the match, yet a dubious penalty turned the trip to Bolivia into a nightmare and The Strongest cooled their intensity enough to grab a 3 point win and a margin of minus one in the process.
Martín Demichelis set out a plan to build possession through a sturdy midfield and to move the ball quickly with Solari’s pace. The big moment came when a header by Solari was expertly saved by Viscarra. But in the opening moments that tested the rhythm, The Strongest found a breach. Triverio was nudged by Armani inside the box, the referee awarded a penalty, and Kike converted it for the opening goal.
To deepen the blow, River stumbled at the start and the pressure from Tigre reshaped the game. Armani saved what could have become a larger deficit, and Castillo nearly extended it in the second half as he headed toward goal, but his effort stayed just off target as the scoreline hovered at 3-0.
Even when the gap appeared large, The Strongest eased their pace while River pressed for a way back. A late penalty converted by Beltrán offered a glimmer of hope, though there were more chances to close the distance that failed to materialize. The debut for Núñez’s squad ended in defeat, a tough lesson against a rival that seemed to operate with a bit less intensity, forcing River to revisit their candidacy at the Monumental.
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THE STRONGEST – RIVER PLATE, MINUTE BY MINUTE
- Every moment of the clash between the Tigre and the Millionaire.
- RIVER TARGET! Lucas Beltrán converts from the spot, reducing the difference.
- THE STRONGEST! Two headers inside the box foreshadow danger and Castillo makes it 3-0.
- THE STRONGEST! A costly early mistake, pressure from Tigre, and another cross from Triverio.
- THE STRONGEST! Triverio beats Armani to open the scoring.
- Punishment for The Strongest: Armani fouls Triverio after he moves away, and the referee points to the spot.
- Everything headed toward a River comeback, with Herrera, Palavecino and Solari involved in the build-up.
- Good evening and welcome to another GOAL broadcast. River Plate faces The Strongest on date 1 of the group stage of the 2023 Copa Libertadores at the Hernando Siles Olympic Stadium.
THE TARGET EXAMPLE
HOW TO WATCH LIVE ON TV AND STREAMING
The meeting between the Millionaire and the Tiger is shown in Argentina and Chile via Fox Sports. In Mexico, Colombia and the rest of South America the signal comes through ESPN. In the United States, beIN Sports holds the broadcast rights.
Streaming is available in Mexico and South America through Star+.
FORMATIONS
THE STRONGEST
Guillermo Viscarra; Carlos Roca, Jaime Arrascaita, Adrián Jusino, Gonzalo Castillo; Michael Ortega, Jeyson Chura, Alvaro Quiroga; Luciano Ursino, Enrique Triverio, Eugenio Isnaldo. DT: Ismael Rescalvo.
RIVER PLATE
Franco Armani; Marcelo Herrera, Emanuel Mammana, Paulo Diaz, Enzo Diaz; Enzo Pérez, Rodrigo Aliendro, Agustín Palavecino, Jose Paradela; Pablo Solari and Lucas Beltran. DT: Martin Demichelis.
Source: Goal