River battled after Martínez Quarta red, draw in Sudamericana opener | OneFootball

Eduardo Coudet’s team played almost the entire match with one man down after Martínez Quarta was sent off. Sebastián Driussi opened the scoring, but Blooming secured the final 1-1 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

In a debut marked by adversity, River Plate drew 1-1 with Blooming on Matchday 1 of Group H in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana. The match, played at Estadio Ramón Aguilera Costas, forced the “Millonario” into an extreme physical and tactical effort after being reduced to ten men just moments after kickoff.

An uphill start and Driussi’s class

Eduardo Coudet’s game plan was disrupted just 3 minutes in. A foul by Lucas Martínez Quarta as the last man on Bayrón Garcés resulted in a straight red card, leaving River shorthanded for 87 minutes. “Chacho” quickly had to sacrifice Ian Subiabre to reshape the defense with the introduction of Germán Pezzella.

Despite being a man down, River did not give up its ambition. In the 34th minute, Fabricio Bustos delivered a precise cross to the far post that Sebastián Driussi met with a volley. The ball hit the post and went in, sparking Argentine celebrations on Bolivian soil.

The second half and the home side’s equalizer

In the second half, the physical toll began to show. Seven minutes into the half, Blooming took advantage of a lapse in concentration: a cross from the left beat goalkeeper Santiago Beltrán’s outstretched hand and found Anthony Vásquez, who only had to tap it in to make it 1-1.

River had a golden chance to retake the lead after a mistake by goalkeeper Braulio Uraezaña, but Facundo Colidio could not place his long-range shot with the goal left open. Late on, Beltrán emerged as a key figure by stopping long-distance efforts from Moisés Villarroel, securing a draw that, given the circumstances, is being celebrated in Núñez.

What’s next

With this result, River is well positioned at the start of the group. Their next match will be at the Monumental on Wednesday, April 15 at 9:30 p.m., when they host Venezuela’s Carabobo aiming to make this point earned in the altitude of Santa Cruz de la Sierra count.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.