River Plate beat Rosario Central 1-0 in thriller, into Apertura final | OneFootball

River Plate defeated Rosario Central 1-0 and qualified for the Torneo Apertura final. In a packed Monumental Stadium, the Millonario managed to beat the Canalla thanks to a Facundo Colidio penalty goal. Gonzalo Montiel missed a spot kick in the first half. Eduardo Chacho Coudet’s team will play the final on May 24 in Córdoba against Argentinos Juniors or Belgrano. Referee Nicolás Ramírez delivered an impeccable performance despite the pressure he allegedly received before the match from some AFA officials to favor the visitors.

The Núñez side set the tone in the first half, which was marked by constant stoppages and physical play in midfield. Through possession and suffocating pressure when regaining the ball, they neutralized the team managed by Jorge Almirón, which had clear problems getting past midfield.

Sebastián Driussi took a hard hit to his right knee from Franco Ibarra and left the field in tears. River had the chance to take the lead from the penalty spot around the half-hour mark. Gastón Ávila struck Lucas Martínez Quarta in the face with an elbow and, after a VAR review by Nicolás Ramírez, Jeremías Ledesma saved Gonzalo Montiel’s shot.

The start of the second half unfolded in much the same way. River went ahead in the 16th minute after Ledesma committed a foul in the box on Joaquín Freitas. Facundo Colidio stepped up to take the penalty and made it 1-0 with a shot to the right post. The Canalla changed its approach and from then on leveled the match by playing with greater intensity: it hit the post twice, the first after a fine save by Santiago Beltrán. However, the Millonario withstood the late pressure and secured its place in the final.

The clash between River and Central had begun several days earlier amid a heated buildup. With the spat between Diego Milito and Di María acting as the trigger over controversial refereeing decisions in the quarterfinals.

The other finalist will come from Argentinos Juniors and Belgrano de Córdoba, who will face each other on Sunday starting at 17:00 in La Paternal. The Torneo Apertura final will be on May 24 at 15:30 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba.

River’s next match will be on Wednesday at 21:30 against RB Bragantino of Brazil at the Monumental, with the aim of sealing its qualification in the Copa Sudamericana. Rosario Central, on the same day from 19:00, will host at the Gigante de Arroyito to

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