- Title: Soccer-River beat Boca 2-0 in first leg of Libertadores semi
- Date: 2nd October 2019
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (OCTOBER 02, 2019) (REUTERS) RIVER PLATE COACH MARCELO GALLARDO ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RIVER PLATE COACH MARCELO GALLARDO, SAYING: "It was clear that we were stronger and that is why we won the game, because we were looking for victory, because we didn't focus on getting one goal but two goals. We tried to find another (goal) and that was reflected tonight." GENERAL VIEW OF BOCA JUNIORS COACH GUSTAVO ALFARO ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BOCA JUNIORS COACH GUSTAVO ALFARO, SAYING: "These players are still standing. We could be eliminated but we are going to give it our all on the field and we are confident that we can turn it around. We are confident that we are going to turn it around." GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE WITH GALLARDO SPEAKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RIVER PLATE COACH MARCELO GALLARDO, SAYING: "We need to be prepared because in 20 days from now there will be an intense game, played with a lot of intelligence, knowing that we can be very dangerous for our visitors, also that Boca are going to come out looking to dominate the game." GALLARDO LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 16th October 2019 15:07
- Keywords: soccer Copa Libertadores River Plate Boca Juniors Buenos Aires Argentina
- Location: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- City: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZEOHFJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A goal in each half, the first from a VAR assisted penalty, gave River Plate a 2-0 win over arch-rivals Boca Juniors in a tense semi-final first leg of the Copa Libertadores on Tuesday (October 01).
Rafael Borre converted a spot kick with seven minutes gone after the Brazilian referee consulted with the VAR and adjudged the same player to have been felled in the penalty area. Ignacio Fernandez doubled River's lead with 70 minutes gone when he flicked home a Matias Suarez cut back from the right wing.
Boca and River Plate were at the centre of controversy last year when their Copa America final had to be played in Madrid after the Boca Juniors bus was attacked en route to the River Plate ground in Buenos Aires ahead of the second leg.
Tuesday's tie got under way in relative peace and with away fans banned from most games in Argentina due to violence by the barra brava hooligan firms, River were greeted by 70,000 of their own fans. The home side had the better chances in an exciting match, particularly in the second half, with Boca keeper Esteban Andrada making at least three good saves and Gonzalo Montiel hitting the post with a cross that drifted over Andrada's head and almost squeaked in.
Nicolas Capaldo missed the best chance of the game for Boca two minutes before half time but he blazed over the bar with just the keeper to beat when it looked easier to score. The youngster's misery was completed in injury time when he was shown a red card after another VAR intervention.
The second leg takes place at Boca's ground on Oct. 22 with the victor meeting the winner of the all-Brazilian tie between Gremio and Flamengo in the final in Santiago, Chile on Nov. 23.
(Production: Miguel Lo Bianco) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None