River Plate can maintain their slender lead atop the overall table in the Argentine Primera Division with a victory on Thursday versus Deportivo Riestra at Estadio Guillermo Laza.
At the beginning of the month, Blanquinegro conceded a late goal to Racing Club, losing 1-0, while a pair of second-half strikes powered La Banda to a 3-1 win over Tigre.
Match preview
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Over the past few matches, Deportivo have been guilty of complacency at the most inopportune moment, conceding with fewer than five minutes remaining in either half of their last three Primera encounters.
Cristian Fabbiani's men are goalless in four successive matches in all competitions and have failed to score in 10 league fixtures this season.
Despite winning just one of their previous seven domestic affairs, they are comfortably positioned to remain in the top flight beyond this season, currently on 16 points, 10 above the relegation line.
On the rare occasion when they score, it has usually meant good things, with this team losing just two of their eight domestic encounters when finding the back of the net.
Three of their four domestic victories in 2024 have come on their home field, including their only triumph in the second phase versus San Lorenzo on matchday one (1-0).
If they lose on Thursday, it will be their fourth successive defeat in the Argentine top flight this year, matching their longest such run from earlier this season.
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Aside from a minor hiccup on matchday three, the second round of the Primera Division campaign has been a relative breeze for River Plate.
The league leaders only blemish since May was an away defeat against Argentinos Juniors (1-0), winning their subsequent two competitive fixtures by a 5-1 margin.
Martin Demichelis has guided them to an overall total of 36 points, two above Racing Club, in their quest for a 39th top-flight trophy.
They have not lost consecutive domestic encounters since November 2023 (two) and have not suffered successive defeats away from home in this competition since 2018.
When netting multiple times, this team have been virtually unbeatable, losing only once all year after doing so in a single game (3-2 versus Boca Juniors in April).
This upcoming fixture will only be the second meeting between themselves and Deportivo Riestra, with the first game ending a comfortable 3-0 triumph for Los Millonarios in a Copa de la Liga contest this year.
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Team News
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In their defeat against Racing Club, Deportivo were without Nicolas Dematei because of a minor knock, while Jonatan Goitia played despite an injury concern.
From matchdays three to four, we saw two new faces in their starting 11, with Goita and Yeison Murillo replacing Delfor Minervino and Dematei.
Nahuel Iribarren has not seen the field for this side since being red-carded in the latter stages of their 1-0 defeat to Newell's Old Boys at the Copa Argentina.
In their victory over Tigres, River Plate were missing Ramiro Funes Mori because of an illness, Manuel Lanzini was sidelined with a sore foot, Facundo Colidio sat out with a shoulder injury, while Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Agustin Sant'Anna and Matias Kranevitter all had hamstring strains.
Miguel Borja, Paulo Diaz and Franco Armani are all on international duty with Colombia, Chile and Argentina, respectively, and may all be out for this match.
Borja scored a hat-trick in their victory over Tigre, while he, Ignacio Fernandez and Marcelo Herrera each found the back of the net in their previous encounter with Deportivo.
Deportivo Riestra possible starting lineup:
Arce; Ramirez, Murillo, Barrionuevo, Sansotre, Goitia; Celiz, Goya, Monje; Brito, Herrera
River Plate possible starting lineup:
Centurion; Sant'Anna, Boselli, Diaz, Casco; I. Fernandez, Fonseca; Solari, Echeverri, Colidio; Ruberto
We say: Deportivo Riestra 0-2 River Plate
Deportivo do not match up well with River Plate, who are full of confidence and getting contributions from various sources, which should keep them atop the league standings for another week.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
