Argentine football’s biggest match once again failed to live up to it’s billing after River Plate and Boca Juniors played out a fiercely contested but ultimately rather dull superclásico. Marcelo Gallardo’s side will certainly be the unhappier with the result having dominated for large parts of the match and but for some wasteful finishing would have ran out deserved winners. Boca Juniors, meanwhile, had only trained with new manager Guillermo Barros Schelotto for four days but just as they had done for his debut against Racing on Thursday night, Los Xeneizes appeared content with ensuring they didn’t lose rather than going for three points.
Following the ugly scenes that produced five red cards during their Torneo de Verano match, the club captains, Daniel Díaz and Marcelo Barovero made a plea for peace before the game and although it remained as competitive as expected, there was no repeat of the violence that has spoiled this fixture in the past.
River certainly started the better side and and during a first half where Boca barely came out of their own half, River fashioned a number of decent opportunies. Gabriel Mercado should perhaps have given the home side the lead when he stabbed Nacho Fernández’s free kick wide, Leonardo Ponzio couldn’t quite get enough on his finish after Sebastián Driussi had headed into his path and Rodrigo Mora hit the upright all during an opening 45 minutes in which River should have been at least a goal to the good.
Carlos Tevez cut a peripheral figure for almost the entire match and any chances that did fall to the Boca talisman were wasted. Instead, the Primera’s biggest star was reduced to a defend from the front role, harrying River’s defence and dropping deep to not allow the midfield to settle.
The best chance of the match fell to River forward Rodrigo Mora in the dying stages after Gonzalo Martínez somehow made it all the way to the Uruguayan at the far post. However, a poor first touch and a moment of hesitancy saw the chance disappear and so too did River’s opportunity to claim the win.
Tevez told reporters after the match: “If you don’t play well, you at least have to make sure you don’t lose.” Boca managed this, just about, but the task ahead of Guillermo Barros Schelotto is clear. Despite the riches of this side they now haven’t scored a goal in over four hours and the new coach’s lack of preparation time can excuse this but the side will not be given such allowances going forward.
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