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ESRiver leads with a flawless record Demichelis’ team claimed a solid and crucial win in Asunción, defeating Libertad 2-1 with goals from Solari and Mastantuono, and now sits at the top of Group H with 9 points.
River came out strong from the off, dominating Libertad with solid connections in the attack. The first chance fell to Claudio Echeverri, whose pass failed to put Pablo Solari in the clear for a goal. Three great chances followed: a shot from Rodrigo Aliendro saved by Rodrigo Morínigo, a set-piece move from a corner resulting in a right-footed strike from Andrés Herrera, and a powerful right-footed shot from Solari that went wide.
Miguel Borja scored the 1-0, but the referee disallowed the goal for offside after VAR review. From the left flank, Enzo Díaz had his opportunity with a powerful left-footed strike, while Libertad’s first chance was an attempt from outside the box by Óscar Cardozo. Toward the end of the first half, River kept pushing with a solid move from Esequiel Barco, resulting in the goal. Aliendro’s accurate pass allowed Solari to tap it into the net, but the home team quickly equalized with a header from Matías Espinoza.
Right at the start of the second half, following a set-piece, Cardozo sent a left-footed shot high into the net from close range, after a series of rebounds. River first responded with a weak shot from Solari following a swift counterattack in the rival’s half, and later with a left-footed strike from Borja that went high. The match got tighter and more fiercely contested toward the end, although River had numerous opportunities to secure the win.
With ten minutes to go, during another River Plate attack, Franco Mastantuono found himself outside the box, rolled the ball with his sole, and unleashed a precise low right-footed shot into the bottom left-hand corner, beating Morínigo. Demichelis’ team clinched another win in the CONMEBOL Libertadores Cup, earning nine points in three games and claiming sole leadership of Group H.
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