In epic fashion, River Plate dreams of reaching the semifinals of the Argentine Apertura.
River players celebrate their quarter-final qualification.
After a dramatic penalty shootout victory over San Lorenzo, River Plate will look to take another step toward glory in the Argentine Apertura when they face Gimnasia La Plata in one of the quarter-final clashes scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday (local Argentine time), with matches also taking place overnight into Wednesday and Thursday in Spain.
El Millonario overcame Ciclón in a classic thriller at the Monumental, playing with a man advantage for 90 minutes yet only managing to equalize 2-2 in stoppage time of extra time. They then prevailed on penalties after trailing by two kicks, securing a spot in the last eight with their spirits soaring.
“Everything is a struggle for us. It’s hard to generate much football against a well-organized team with 10 men. The ball just wouldn’t go in, but it finally did at the last moment. Then we added too much drama for my liking in the penalties, but we’re still in the hunt,” said coach Eduardo Coudet after an electrifying night at the Monumental.
A Master of Suffering
Coudet’s side seems to live on miracles, having also suffered to win 1-2 away against Venezuela’s Carabobo in the Copa Sudamericana the previous week. In that match in Venezuela, goalkeeper Santiago Beltrán was sent off, and outfield player Matías Viña took over in goal. Maxi Salas scored the winner in the 90+6th minute, almost the last play of the game.
Aware of their tendency to suffer, River will aim to assert themselves again on Wednesday at home against Gimnasia La Plata, an opponent that entered the playoffs sixth but arrives on a strong winning streak. El Lobo have five consecutive victories in the Apertura, including an away elimination of Vélez Sarsfield 1-0, one of the most powerful teams in the regular phase.
“We’re taking it step by step. We know what’s coming will be much tougher. We have to keep being humble and working as we have been. These players give everything, and that leaves me very calm,” said their coach, Ariel “Pata” Pereyra.
The single-match quarter-finals also feature these three other ties:
**Belgrano vs Unión**
El Pirata will arrive energized on Tuesday after overcoming archrival Talleres (1-0) in the Córdoba derby, aiming for their first top-flight title. Unión, meanwhile, pulled off a major shock by eliminating Independiente Rivadavia, the team that scored the most points in the regular season, despite entering the playoffs as a late qualifier.
**Argentinos Juniors vs Huracán**
Third in Zone B, El Bicho built a solid campaign and look very strong for Tuesday’s match at their Diego Maradona stadium, where they are unbeaten in 22 games, including a 2-0 win over Lanús in the round of 16. Huracán, on the other hand, are flying high after eliminating Boca Juniors (3-2) in the previous round.
**Rosario Central vs Racing**
El Canalla, with standout performances from star Ángel Di María, eliminated Independiente (3-1) in a game that improved as it went on. They hope to return to decisive stages after a 2025 where they were contenders but failed to reach finals. Racing, however, revived after seven winless games, beating Estudiantes in La Plata (1-0) with a last-gasp goal from captain Santiago Sosa, a club looking to regain its form and return to the top.