Sarmiento hold River Plate to 1-1 draw in Junin
Key takeaways
- Sarmiento and River Plate drew 1-1 at the Estadio Eva Peron in Junin.
- Julian Contrera put Sarmiento ahead early in the first half.
- Gonzalo Montiel scored late to earn River a point. VAR had denied him once before.
Sarmiento held River Plate to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday. The game was at the Estadio Eva Peron in Junin. Julian Contrera scored first for Sarmiento.
Gonzalo Montiel scored late for River.
The result hurts River more than Sarmiento. River stayed outside the playoff spots. Sarmiento climbed to fourth in Zone B.
The home side earned a strong point.
The game had late drama too. VAR denied River a goal in the second half. Montiel then scored a real one.
River pushed for a winner but could not find it.
What happened
Sarmiento struck early. Contrera scored after 15 minutes. That is what SoccerZZ reported.
The goal came from a cross by Marabel. Contrera beat Lucas Martinez Quarta to the ball. The play began with a throw-in.
River looked shaky at the back. Clarin said the goal showed old problems. River lacked strength in defense.
Sarmiento nearly scored from another throw-in before that. A shot from Suarez hit the post.
River grew into the game after half time. The visitors played with more drive. Thiago Almada and Angel Correa led the push.
Montiel kept bursting into the box from defense.
Montiel thought he had scored in the second half. He headed in a cross from Fausto Vera. The players started to cheer.
Then VAR stepped in. The video team checked the play. Referee Sebastian Zunino went to the screen.
The check took six minutes. Zunino ruled out the goal for a handball by Vera. Clarin called the call a big talking point.
Montiel did not give up. He scored the equalizer late in the second half. Almada passed the ball to him.
Montiel ran into the box. He shot the ball between the legs of goalie Thyago Ayala. This time the goal stood.
River pushed hard in the last minutes. Youngster Lautaro Pereyra came off the bench. He nearly scored twice.
Ayala saved one strong shot from him. Another shot from Pereyra went just wide. River also had eight minutes of added time.
But the winner never came.
The final whistle blew at 1-1. Sarmiento kept a point at home. River took a point on the road.
Neither side left fully pleased.
Why it matters
The draw keeps River outside the playoff zone. That is the big fact. River needed three points to climb the table.
One point was not enough. The team still sits outside the playoff spots in the Torneo Clausura.
Sarmiento got the better end of the deal. The point moved Sarmiento to fourth in Zone B. The team now has 20 points.
It sits two points behind the leaders. Rosario Central, Belgrano, and Argentinos Juniors lead the group. That is what Infobae reported.
The game also showed River's weak spot. The team gives up soft goals. One throw-in led to the first goal.
The defense looked lost on that play. Clarin said rivals do not need much to hurt River. That is a hard truth for a big club.
The VAR call will stay in the news. River fans will feel hard done by. The handball call took six minutes.
The goal looked fair to many River fans. But the referee made his call. The team had to move on.
Montiel's late goal saved the night from a worse result.
There is also a link to our other story tonight. Atlanta United beat Montreal 3-0 with a goal from Giuliano Galoppo. Galoppo plays for Atlanta on loan from River Plate.
River's loan man scored while River drew at home in spirit.
For more South American football, see Fluminense vs Palmeiras in the Libertadores semifinal first leg. For another Argentine giant in continental play, see Boca vs Vasco.
What happens next
River play again on Sunday. They visit Belgrano in Cordoba. Kickoff is at 8:15 PM local time.
River need a win there. Another draw would keep them stuck.
Sarmiento play on Monday. They host Barracas Central at home. Kickoff is at 7 PM local time.
A win could push Sarmiento higher in Zone B. The team is in fine form.
River must fix the defense first. The team has leaked soft goals all season. The attack looks lively with Almada and Correa.
But the back line must hold firm. If it does, River can still reach the playoffs.
Sarmiento can dream bigger now. The team sits near the top of its group. A home win on Monday would keep the push alive.
The draw with River proves Sarmiento can fight with the best.
The next round will tell us more. River face a direct rival in Belgrano. Sarmiento face a home test.
Both games matter a lot.
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