Few would have bet against River and Boca this weekend, in spite of their Libertadores commitments, they are both considered genuine title challengers and so when either are pitted against one of the newly promoted sides in this bloated 30-team Primera, only one outcome is really expected.
With a crucial Libertadores match on Thursday away in Peru, Marcelo Gallardo played an almost entirely reserve eleven for the visit of Unión and even the youngsters and fringe players appeared to grasp what was expected. Fernando Cavanaghi poked River in front after just two minutes and when Sebastián Driussi added a second on the half hour mark it felt as though there was no way back for Leonardo Madelón’s side.
Few teams have left the Monumental with points in the last year or so and even fewer after trailing by two at half time. However, after just nine minutes of the second half, Unión grabbed a lifeline. The River defence was still resting and the lively, Lucas Gamba ran clear to slot the ball beneath Julio Chiarini.
If Gallardo would have been disappointed with the first, he would have been furious with the second. An innocuous free kick was swung in Víctor Malcorra, nobody managed to get a touch on the ball but it still managed to bounce up and sneak past Chiarini off his far post.
River understandably pushed for a winner, in the knowledge that they had just thrown away a simple three points, but even the introduction of Rodrigo Mora could not force a third.
While River’s complacency was punished, Boca Juniors were undone by a moment of inspiration from Colón substitute, Cristian Guanca but the result was the same and for the first time this season, Boca dropped points.
Boca were able to name a much stronger line-up for their trip to Santa Fe given how comfortable their Libertadores campaign is proving thus far and were comfortable throughout. For much of the first half, Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s side were unable to convert this to goals but eventually a defensive lapse allowed Juan Manuel Martínez to give Boca a deserved lead.
The second half followed a similar pattern but twenty minutes in, and just a minute after entering the field as a second half substitute, Cristian Guanca changed that. The 21-year-old, former Chacarita Juniors player unleashed an unstoppable drive from 25 yards and left Agustín Orión no chance.
Boca introduced Daniel Osvaldo in an effort to regain the lead but could not muster the all-important second.
The first points dropped for Boca but with their performances in the Libertadores and an unbeaten league record, it has been a good start to 2015. River, meanwhile, find themselves under a little bit of pressure for perhaps the first time since Gallardo took over. Anything other than victory in Peru would be disastrous and a tricky away fixture to Arsenal follows in the league. River will not want to drop much further behind their rivals.
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