SuperClásico, this Sunday

Glad to see Balanta back, he's so good.

Missed the start and the goal but thought River came more and more into towards the end. They struggled to create chances apart from Alario's header but moving the ball better than Boca.

 

Teams back out for the second half

 

River playing better than they did in the first half

 

River getting close to the goal unlucky just now

 

Full time River 0 Boca 1

Boca back on top

 

Thought a draw would have been a fair result tonight. On well, just have to hope someone else takes points off Boca.

 

River looked the better team in the second half not sure how they couldn't score

 

Tim Vickery’s Notes from South America: sobering super-clasico defeat for River Plate

River Plate will represent South America in the Club World Cup, but on the evidence of this defeat, Barcelona will have little to fear.

Barcelona had to dig deep against Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, but came from behind to win with goals from two of their three man South American strikeforce. Three more points, then, for the European champions. But on the either side of the Atlantic, in the land of Leonel Messi’s birth, it was not such good news for their South American counterparts.

River Plate went down 1-0 at home to Boca Juniors in the Buenos Aires ‘super-clasico.’ Opportunity knocked for River when they took the field. Leaders San Lorenzo had been beaten earlier in the day. A win against their old rivals would have left River Plate six points behind with a game in hand. Instead, though, they are now 11 points off the lead and all but out of the title race – with Boca leapfrogging San Lorenzo to take over at the top of the table.

It was a result, then, with considerable bearing on the domestic championship. And a performance that does not bode well for this year’s Club World Cup.

The idea of uniting the club champions of all the various continents is entirely valid, and it has been heartwarming to see the way that Auckland City from Oceania have used their exposure to the competition to develop their game. But this is a tournament which suffers from a huge problem – the inescapable fact that globalisation has concentrated the best players from the four corners of the world in a handful of western European clubs. This is a challenge to the world game and to the future of this particular tournament, since the gulf between Europe and the rest of the world is made embarrassingly apparent on an annual basis.

The force of tradition means that it is customary to look to South America to provide a challenge to the winners of the Champions League – especially as the competition undoubtedly means more to the Copa Libertadores holders (though the southern Europeans appear to give it more value than those from the north).

There have been some South American successes – Sao Paulo in 2005, Internacional the following years and Corinthians in 2012 took the title back to Brazil. But all were single goal victories won largely on the break, following a tactical plan which acknowledged the superiority of the opposition. It is very different from the days, only some 15 years ago, when the South Americans looked forward to the annual showdown with the Europeans to show off some technique. A replay of those games would provide a fascinating spectacle. The way it is now – either a comfortable European win or a grinding, backs to the wall triumph for the underdogs – is unlikely to attract the neutral.

And there is no evidence to suggest that this year’s Club World Cup will be any different. In a dull game against Boca, the paucity of River’s football was sadly striking. A club with a tradition of style now seem to have surrendered to mere pragmatism. Their only attacking idea against Boca was to hit hopeful crosses in for the deft aerial skills of centre forward Lucas Alario. With the exception of two of his headers, River never threatened the Boca goal.

In a possible final with Barcelona, River would presumably have the chance to launch their strikers behind the opposing defensive line. But how would they cope with Barcelona’s possession? This is a worry. In the decisive second leg of the Libertadores final, River’s midfield enforcer Leo Ponzio crunched in the tackles with a severity that would test the patience of many referees. Against Boca he really should have been sent off on the half hour mark. Indeed, shortly afterwards he was whipped off by coach Marcelo Gallardo to save him from a red card.

Last year San Lorenzo attempted to stop Real Madrid in the Club World final by opening up the tool box and letting the tackles fly. Indeed, it is hard to see what else they could do against rivals who outgunned them to an absurd degree. On the evidence of the weekend, with Neymar and Messi scoring for Barcelona while River huffed and puffed to no effect, the prospects for this year’s final do not look any better.

 

[ame]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q90WhQKvFE[/ame]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-friendly-match-Boca-Juniors-River-Plate.html

 

Tonight at 8.00 PM.

http://www.americatv.com.ar/vivo.html

 

Boca V River just about to start

[ame]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i2DfunY4oD8[/ame]




A. Orión, J. Silva, F. Tobio, G. Peruzzi, J. Insaurralde, L. Jara, P. Pérez, N. Lodeiro, F. Gago, C. Tevez, C. Pavón.
Subs: G. Sara, F. Fabra, A. Rolín, C. Meli, C. Erbes, S. Palacios, A. Chávez.

River Plate
M. Barovero, É. Álvarez, M. Casco, G. Mercado, J. Maidana, N. Bertolo, C. Mayada, A. D'Alessandro, N. Domingo, R. Mora, L. Alario.
Subs: A. Batalla, J. Arzura, E. Mammana, L. Pisculichi, L. González, S. Driussi, I. Alonso.

 

Cheers Crow

 

forgot this was tonight until I looked online :smiley-laughing002:

 

Me as well :smiley-laughing002:, just put it on and it all kicked off after the challenge on the Boca keeper :smiley-laughing002:

 

typical start to this game bet there's a few bookings :smiley-laughing002:

 

Boca down to ten men only just noticed that * sake

 

Aye its hard to see above the team name the picture is *, has HD not reached South America yet :smiley-laughing002:

 

I'm watching on my phone and the picture is small as * :smiley-laughing002:

 

It was Pablo Perez that was sent aff mate