Did River Plate Rout Barracas to Reach the Quarterfinals of the Argentine League?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- River Plate dominated the match with a 3-0 victory.
- Paulo Diaz, Ignacio Fernandez, and Marcos Acuna scored the goals.
- River Plate is set to face Platense in the quarterfinals.
- They are currently in second place in Group B.
- The Apertura tournament runs from January to June.
Buenos Aires (Argentina), May 13 (NationPress) River Plate secured their place in the quarterfinals of Argentina's Primera Division Apertura tournament with an impressive 3-0 victory against Barracas Central at home on Monday. Paulo Diaz initiated the scoring, capitalizing on a loose ball to net from six yards. Ignacio Fernandez then increased the advantage with a precise first-time strike into the far corner, following a cross from Franco Mastantuono.
The match was sealed by Argentina's World Cup champion Marcos Acuna, who unleashed a powerful 25-yard shot that took a deflection and nestled in off the right post, according to reports from Xinhua.
“We understood the challenge ahead, but our players demonstrated their readiness for this encounter,” said River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo in a post-match press conference.
“Fortunately, we managed to score early on and added another right at the start of the second half. We played our game effectively despite the challenges posed by our opponent.”
Next up for River Plate is a clash with Platense, who advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Racing Club 1-0 on Saturday.
Currently, River Plate holds second place in the Apertura Group B standings, with 31 points from 16 matches. They are trailing the leaders, Rosario Central, by four points, with Independiente in third place, holding 29 points within the 15-team Group B.
In Group A, Argentinos Juniors lead with 33 points, closely followed by Boca Juniors on goal difference. Racing Club is positioned third with 28 points in the same group.
The Apertura or “Opening” tournament is one half of Argentina's split-season format, reinstated in 2025 after its last implementation in 2012. It runs from January to June, followed by the Clausura or “Closing” tournament from July to December.
Club Atlético River Plate, commonly referred to as River Plate, is renowned as one of the Big Five of Argentine football, alongside Independiente, San Lorenzo, Boca Juniors, and Racing Club.