1'After the final team talk, the ball is in play; the team look for that first safe pass in the final third.
2'Noé Bartoli darts in behind and Mati Fontana plays the striker in with a superb ball. The small details could decide this.
3'Víctor Schwartzman strikes it first time and leaves the opponent gasping for air.
7'The away side manage the ball with good sense, shifting the home side from side to side. There's a lot riding on this.
9'Gastón Wolf thinks a step ahead and finds Polaco Volpe in the hot zone. The managers are already taking notes.
10'The away side try to play out from the back, but the home side swarm all over them as a unit. Time to look forward now.
14'Gastón Wolf wins it and releases it quickly; the home side race back to salvage what they can. The dressing room will have the final say.
16'The game hits a plateau: lots of battling, little clarity.
27'The team find their confidence and aren't rushing so much now.
28'The away side manage the ball with a bit of cheek, shifting the home side from side to side. This one could go either way.
29'Coordinated pressing: one closes down, another blocks the lane and the third wins it.
30'Possession belongs to the home side, although for now there's no real bite around the box.
32'Maximiliano Rizzo takes charge of midfield and brings a bit of order to the chaos. There's still a game on here.
36'The team find their confidence and aren't rushing so much now.
37'The home side move it about sensibly, with Gael Bauer as the side's compass.
39'Gino Zambelli plays it back and starts again; sometimes going backwards is attacking too.
40'Gino Zambelli slows things down, puts a foot on the ball and waits for a path to open. It's being played with gritted teeth.
41'The away side prepare a training-ground routine from the corner. Adjustments are on the way.
42'The defender uses a bit too much body and the referee isn't buying the innocent look.
43'A teammate is face to face with goal and finishes quickly before the gap closes.
44'The away side can't get near the ball; the home side keep it from them patiently. There's still a game on here.
46'With the players heading for the dressing room, end of the first half: the team and the opponent head in with plenty to fix.
47'Benicio Zanardi slows things down, puts a foot on the ball and waits for a path to open. You can see the work done on the training ground this week.
48'The the home side block sets up high; this is risky, but it's ambitious too.
49'The home side stretch the pitch and make the away side chase shadows.
50'Gael Bauer darts in behind and Diego Mascherano plays the striker in with a superb ball.
51'The the away side block sets up high; this is risky, but it's ambitious too.
54'Tobías Segre collects between the centre-backs after a pass that split the pitch in two.
55'Foul by the team to stop a counter that looked dangerous.
56'The home side win it back near the opposition box; a clear sign of the high press.
59'The home side manage the ball right on the edge, shifting the away side from side to side.
60'Effort from a teammate down by the corner flag; it whistled past and left everyone with the shout stuck in their throats. Time to look forward now.
61'The away side put the game to sleep right in front of the dugouts, trying to tempt the home side out of their shell.
63'The the home side press bites through the middle; the away side start to lose their clarity.
67'The away side press high and don't give the home side room to breathe.
69'The away side put the game to sleep between the lines, trying to tempt the home side out of their shell.
70'The away side manage the ball with real vision, shifting the home side from side to side.
71'Foul by the team to stop a counter that looked dangerous. There'll be plenty to analyse.
72'A teammate harries the build-up, forces the long ball and gets everyone off their seats. The next one could be decisive.
74'Polaco Volpe arrives late and brings down a the opponent player; foul, no real argument.
78'Interception by the home side in the inside channel; good pressure and even better reading of the game.
79'The home side manage the ball with teeth gritted, shifting the away side from side to side.
80'Walter Mazur darts in behind and Máximo Martínez plays the striker in with a superb ball. Time to look forward now.
81'Effort from a teammate between the lines; it whistled past and left everyone with the shout stuck in their throats. The second half promises a different story.
83'Venomous through ball from Saúl Turetta; the home side were caught cold. Nothing is settled yet.
84'🎯 Benicio Zanardi runs at goal and shapes to shoot...
84'...hits it with his left foot...
84'The effort from Benicio Zanardi goes high; good intentions, the execution's up for debate.
86'Tempers flaring a little: a heavy foul and several players come over to argue.
86'🟨 Yellow card for Maximiliano Rizzo; the referee draws the line.
87'The ball moves safely between the the home side shirts; what's missing is a bit of pace in the final third.
89'🎯 Gabi Baldini runs at goal and shapes to shoot...
89'...hits it with his left foot...
89'A teammate is face to face with goal and finishes quickly before the gap closes. Adjustments are on the way.
90'After ninety intense minutes, the team leave with strong feelings; the opponent will have a few things to look at.
0 - 0
River Plate