By MARCELO R. ANDROETTO
BUENOS AIRES (AP) — The roar of a lethal Tiger left River Plate without reaction and a Monumental team that unanimously failed its players in flames.
Marcelo Gallardo’s team fell 4-1 on Saturday against the Victoria team, which climbed to the top of Zone B of the Argentine soccer Apertura Tournament.
In a match for the 4th. date, Tiago Serrago’s goals, at 6 minutes; David Romero, at 16, and Ignacio Russo twice, at 49 and 68, rounded off an unexpected victory. Lautaro Rivero scored for River, at 89.
Diego Dabove’s team has ten points and this date can only be surpassed or reached at the top by Independiente Rivadavia, who visits Estudiantes de Río Cuarto (Córdoba) on Monday. Meanwhile, the “Millionaire” lost his undefeated record and remains with seven points, still in the playoff zone.
“We apologize to the people, we have to take responsibility for the result, now comes the self-criticism, we didn’t think it was going to happen, but it happened,” admitted the Colombian Juanfer Quintero, in relation to the slap that will make people talk (it had been ten years since the “Red Band” had received four goals at the Monumental).
River was once again the same as 2025: very weak at the back, light in the middle, without weight in attack. The improvement evidenced by the “Muñeco” team in the three previous dates was put in check from the start by a Tigre that arrived in Núñez with the fixed idea of winning its fourth victory in its opponent’s territory in its entire history. And he did it with all justice.
The result is explained simply: “Millonario” was a disaster in all its lines, while “Matador” played a perfect game and showed the jaws of an intractable pair of forwards, made up of Russo and Romero.
Three of the four goals of the visit had something in common: the loss of the ball in three quarters and the little resistance of an unbalanced last local line. The remaining one had to do with a gross individual error.
In the opening goal, the visit had the wink of fortune. After a millimeter assist from Romero, Serrago’s shot – a River player on loan – deflected off the Uruguayan Matías Viña before hitting the net.
In the second, Russo – son of the late coach Miguel Ángel Russo – put together the play from start to finish and served the goal to Romero.
River never recovered. He barely had a clear discount opportunity, a mid-range shot from Tomás Galván that crashed into the crossbar.
Without midfielders to attack the space or outstanding scorers, Gallardo’s team languished against a well-positioned “Matador” who was even able to go into halftime with a greater lead.
The lack of goals from River’s forwards is already endemic. Sebastián Driussi, injured, was replaced by Maxi Salas, who completed eleven games without scoring. His companion, Facundo Colidio, has not celebrated in 22 matches. And even Driussi himself has a drought of 13 games. Still, Gallardo recently defended his decision not to hire a center forward.
If any hope of a comeback remained for the host, it vanished as soon as the second half began, with an incredible failure by Aníbal Moreno, who, upon taking a free kick from the side of his own area, gave the ball to Russo for the 3-0.
Shortly after, River was left with ten because Fausto Vera hit a rival’s face with his leg. And in another devastating counterattack—Marcos Acuña, who had entered for Viña, made a mistake—Romero returned courtesy for Russo’s double.
A couple of minutes later the Monumental exploded against its players, with the burden of a 2025 to be forgotten.
And not much more happened. Just the entry into the visit of Gonzalo “Pity” Martínez, one of the heroes of the 2018 Copa Libertadores final in Madrid, honored in the preview and applauded by the fans. Rivero’s great mid-range goal decorated the scoreboard and then came the thunderous whistles at the end.
Meanwhile, at the Cilindro de Avellaneda stadium, the aggressive and intense Racing Club of previous years returned.
Gustavo Costas’ team recovered from three consecutive defeats in Zone A and beat Argentinos Juniors 2-1, which will play in the Copa Libertadores playoffs.
The “Academy” goals were the work of Tomás Conechny and Santiago Solari. For “Bicho”, who arrived undefeated, Erik Godoy discounted.
Also in Zone A, the modest Aldosivi frustrated Rosario Central’s celebration.
In Mar del Plata, “Canalla” won 1-0 with a header from Ignacio Ovando following a corner taken by Ángel Di María. The home team equalized shortly before the end with a great goal from substitute Nicolás Cordero.
The date will continue on Sunday with two main courses: the neighborhood classic between Huracán and San Lorenzo at the “Palacio” Tomás Adolfo Ducó and the clash between Vélez Sarsfield and Boca Juniors, at the José Amalfitani stadium.
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AP Sports: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
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