River Plate earned their first win of the 2026 Torneo Clausura (Argentina's top-flight league season) with a 2-0 victory over Argentinos Juniors at the iconic Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires. The match will be remembered for the debut of Thiago Almada, the 25-year-old World Cup winner who returned to Argentine football after a stint in Europe's Major League Soccer. Coach Eduardo Coudet's squad snapped a painful six-game losing streak and finally got their campaign off the ground.
Almada's Dream Debut
Almada, who cost River a club-record 20 million dollars, was greeted with a thunderous ovation as his name was announced over the stadium speakers. Deployed on the left wing, he immediately showed his class, linking up brilliantly with fellow former Vélez Sarsfield teammate Francisco Ortega.
In the first half alone, Almada registered 42 touches, completed 32 passes with 84% accuracy, fired 2 shots on target, and won 3 individual duels. One of his shots, blocked by the defense, fell perfectly for Gonzalo Montiel to open the scoring in the 36th minute. He also took charge of set pieces, delivering a pinpoint cross for Lucas Martínez Quarta and a corner that Nicolás Otamendi headed against the post.
Substituted in the 82nd minute for Tomás Galván, Almada left the pitch to a unanimous standing ovation from the 85,000 fans in attendance.
Match Details
- River Plate: S. Beltrán; Montiel, Martínez Quarta, Otamendi, Ortega; Moreno, Andrada, Almada; Correa; Freitas, L. Beltrán
- Goals: Montiel (36' PT), Correa (86' PT, penalty)
- Referee: Facundo Tello
- Venue: Monumental, Buenos Aires
A Win That Changes Everything
The second half was more competitive, with Argentinos Juniors controlling possession and River relying on counterattacks. The penalty that sealed the match came in the 86th minute, awarded by VAR after a foul on Ángel Correa, who converted it himself for his first goal for River since joining the club.
This victory ended River's worst run in decades: six consecutive defeats (four in the Clausura without scoring a single goal). Argentinos Juniors, who arrived as undefeated league leaders with 12 points, suffered their first loss of the season.
For context, the Torneo Clausura is the second half of Argentina's annual championship, where all 30 teams from the Argentine Primera División compete in a single-round robin format. River Plate, one of Argentina's most successful clubs, had been in desperate need of a result to avoid matching a historic negative record.
What the Players Said
“I'm so happy to debut with this jersey. But even more important is the team's victory, how we played today. I think we had a great match, we have things to improve, but the important thing today was to win.”
Ángel Correa, who scored the second goal, told ESPN: “Very happy because we wanted and desired a victory like this with our people. It's true that each player who arrives takes time to settle, but we're all committed to making River succeed.” He also praised Almada: “He has incredible quality, he could play for any team in Europe and today River managed to sign him.”
Veteran defender Nicolás Otamendi added: “We needed this victory.”
What's Next for River
River now travel to Bogotá, Colombia, to face Independiente Santa Fe on Wednesday, August 19 at 9:30 PM local time in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana round of 16. They return to domestic action on August 23 against Vélez Sarsfield. Almada is already looking ahead: “Now we rest and prepare for Wednesday, we have a big battle ahead.”
However, there is concern: Gonzalo Montiel was substituted due to an injury to his left adductor, and his availability for the Copa Sudamericana clash is uncertain.
Sources: Infobae | La Página Millonaria | ESPN