River's debut in the 2023 Copa Libertadores fell short of expectations. Martín Demichelis' team suffered from the altitude effects and lost 3-1 against The Strongest at the Hernando Siles Stadium. It was a bitter match not only because of the result but also because of the missed chances by River at the beginning of the game. The final score ended up being logical, after all.
The Group D was completed with Wednesday night's match at the National Stadium in Lima. There, Sporting Cristal and Fluminense made their debut in the Copa Libertadores with an attractive match and two defensive proposals. The final result? The Rio de Janeiro team prevailed 3-1, with two goals from Argentine striker Germán Cano. The remaining goal was scored by Vitor Mendes.
Thus, the Brazilian team is leading the group along with The Strongest. Both teams achieved the same result. Meanwhile, River and Sporting Cristal are at the bottom of the table with the same points, with the advantage that River played their only match as visitors, and the Lima team couldn't make themselves strong at home.
Group D Table
How will the second round be played?
The group stage of the Copa Libertadores will resume in two weeks. In River's case, led by Martín Demichelis, they will play their first home match against Sporting Cristal. The match at the Monumental will take place on Wednesday, April 19th, starting at 9:00 PM (Argentina time). On the other hand, Fluminense will host The Strongest at the Maracanã Stadium a day earlier: they will face each other on Tuesday, April 18th, at 7:00 PM.
The Copa Libertadores is live on Telefé and La Página Millonaria!