River Plate Edges Atletico Tucuman 1-0, Climbs to Second in Apertura

River Plate snatched a tightly contested 1-0 home victory against Atletico Tucuman on Sunday, thanks to an impressive second-half goal by Facundo Colidio. This crucial win boosts River Plate up to second position in the Argentine Primera Division Apertura tournament's Group B standings, placing them just two points behind first-place Independiente, and one point ahead of Rosario Central, who have played one game fewer. On the other hand, Atletico Tucuman remains temporarily 10th with seven points.

Playing in front of a packed, energetic Mas Monumental stadium, River Plate strongly pushed to take control from the onset. The hosts crafted numerous scoring opportunities in the first half, with Maximiliano Meza, Rodrigo Aliendro, and Franco Mastantuono all coming close yet failing to convert their chances.

Atletico Tucuman nearly struck first late in the first half. Leandro Diaz fired a shot which goalkeeper Franco Armani managed to save, but the ball dangerously deflected toward the goal. River Plate's defender German Pezzela timely intervened by executing a remarkable bicycle kick clearance, saving his team from going behind.

In the second half, Atletico Tucuman's defensive resistance persisted, spearheaded by goalkeeper Tomas Durso, who made excellent stops against goal-bound attempts from Meza and Miguel Borja. Nevertheless, River's determination paid off in the 79th minute. Colidio received an assist from Mastantuono, unleashing a powerful long-range shot that proved unstoppable, finally breaking the deadlock.

Despite celebrating their hard-earned win, River Plate faced a setback in stoppage time, as Santiago Simon was sent off following a collision with Miguel Brizuela. Yet, goal scorer Facundo Colidio emphasized resilience after the match, acknowledging the team's desire to continuously push for victory in every encounter.

Colidio explained that coach Marcelo Gallardo insisted on a focused and aggressive mindset to secure victories, adding that River Plate needs to maintain this momentum and determination going forward.