Overview
- River’s defensive absences, including Germán Pezzella’s season-ending knee injury, forced an unusual Boselli-Díaz centre-back pairing.
- Franco Armani produced a series of reflex saves in the first half to preserve the goalless draw and maintain River’s away clean sheet.
- Marcelo Gallardo’s halftime substitutions—Ignacio Fernández, Juanfer Quintero and Sebastián Driussi—lifted River’s second-half performance and generated clear scoring chances.
- The tie remains level ahead of the return leg at the Monumental on 21 August, where River must manage ongoing injury concerns alongside domestic fixtures.
- The winner of this round will advance to face Palmeiras in the quarterfinals, highlighting the strategic importance of the upcoming home match.