Copa Sudamericana 2008: Defensor Sporting 1 – 2 River Plate

By: Christian | September 26th, 2008

Welcome back Sebastian Abreu.

In his debut last night against Defensor Sporting in the Copa Sudamericana, el Loco, in his first match since returning from Europe after a 4 month absence, led River Plate to a 2-1 victory in Montevideo, scoring both goals for la banda, and helping put the squad in a great position to reach the quarterfinals. With his 2 goals last night, Abreu now has netted 9 for los millonarios in international competitions.

It took Abreu all of 8 minutes to get back in the groove, coolly slotting the ball in the Defensor net after the opposing keeper bobbled his original shot on goal. It was no surprise that the goal came on a header, where the offense was able to take advantage of Abreu’s height, an element it has been missing this season. And the impact on his fellow teammates was contagious; in fact, in the first 30 minutes of the game, River displayed a newfound confidence that has been lacking in the league. Diego Buonanotte looked much more improved playing behind el Loco, with youngster Mauro Diaz impressing as well.

Abreu would add another in the second half, again beating the opposing keeper who again bobbled what should have been an easy ball, which a charging Abreu was able to chip over. River however would fall apart soon after. With two all-important away goals, the team tried to slow down the pace of the game, but several defensive lapses allowed Defensor too many opportunities to get back in the game. Abreu was pulled in the second half with an injury. Under-performer Santiago Salcedo continued his goal drought. River were left with 10 men after a second yellow ended Augusto Fernández’s night following a stupid challenge.

In fact, with so many mistakes the score could have been 5-2 considering all the open shots Defensor had, but a stellar performance by Juan Ojeda, coupled with shocking finishing by the home team, limited the damage to only one goal. Despite several close calls, River were able to hold on, and they now take their 2 precious away goals back to the Monumental for the second leg.

While last night’s victory was an important one in terms of restoring faith to a jaded fan-base after a disastrous start to the league, there are still some concerns moving forward. Yes, the squad looked much, much improved, and the addition of Abreu seems to have awoken the players and breathed new life in the offense. With the ariel attack now a legitimate option, smaller players like Buonanotte and Diaz can now use their speed to create chances. Juan Ojeda continues his brilliant form, saving at least 3 goals last night that a lesser keeper would have allowed in. As improved as the squad looked though, they still seemed to lose the plot as the game wore on, and too many mistakes gave River more nail-biting moments then necessary.

I’m thrilled with the result, but still cautious as I look ahead to the second leg. It does seem that River finally are playing with their heads, and with the league out of their sights, the squad appears to understand that this Copa is all that’s left in terms of titles this year, and that they had better leave it all out on the pitch. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was a fine start to this year’s Copa. Let’s hope it gets even better.

2008 Copa Sudamericana, Round of 16 – Game 1
Defensor Sporting 1 – 2 River Plate

Scoring Summary:
Sebastián Abreu (RP), 8th, 63rd
Mario Risso (DS), 40th

River Plate:
Juan Marcelo Ojeda
Paulo Ferrari, Gustavo Cabral, Facundo Quiroga, Cristian Villagra
Augusto Fernández, Oscar Ahumada, Matías Abelairas
Mauro Díaz, Diego Buonanotte
Sebastián Abreu

Substitutions:
Santiago Salcedo for Díaz, 62nd
Leonardo Ponzio for Abreu, 66th
Martín Galmarini for Buonanotte, 80th

Highlights