00:03there it is and we are rolling in Mendoza and the Copa Libertadores group C a crucial
00:09one Independiente Rivadavia hoping to secure a spot already in the round of 16 in their
00:15first ever appearance in continental play Fluminense desperate for a win to kick-start
00:20their competition a loss could have severe repercussions for their side early long ball
00:30out of the back for Independiente Rivadavia and their goalkeeper Nicolas Boccato who's
00:34celebrating his 22nd birthday today as we see their head coach Alfredo Berte who has
00:41done such a wonderful job with this side he's become a club legend along with some
00:48of these players over the past couple years they're a much more direct side in
00:51their style of play they're not afraid to play it long win second balls and they've
00:56been ruthlessly opportunistic with their finishing in their first three matches
01:00here in the Libertadores Alex Arce their striker he mentioned he scored a hat
01:07trick in their last game against La Guayra he scored four goals in three matches
01:13here in this competition he's only taken 11 shots so incredibly efficient he wins
01:20this header and then the turnaround shot is pawed aside by Fabio but nearly right
01:25away they have the first quarter of this match after Arce won the flick on what a
01:29first touch then the turn and volley that's so well done by Fabrizio Sartori
01:36technical was that it had come off Fernandez last but it is Villa now to take the corner for
01:40Independiente Rivadavia wall of blue shirts lining up at the penalty spot swung outward and the headers
01:52off the underside of the bar and it stays out then the bicycle kick attempt the frame but stayed out
01:59and that was Arce rising up for it the striker just off a hat trick in his last Libertadores
02:05match almost right back at it 12 minutes in tonight he had beaten Fabio but he
02:12didn't beat the bar again for Fluminense and now Fluminense look to hit on the
02:20counter can they be quick enough no stepping forward with Studer to intercept Sartori to Villa
02:30with Fernandez charging forward Villa's cross on target save made Fabio keeps it out and keeps
02:37Fluminense level before halftime making the necessary save for Fluminense and it was onside it would
02:44have counted it's a save that Fabio would expect to make it's still tricky bouncing in front of
02:50him his reflexes still sharp man who not so long ago past momentum taken out of the attack
03:08we're into two additional minutes at the end of this first half either side find a breakthrough
03:15before Lacosta will find his way into the book and say in this opening half
03:31final seconds melting away in this opening half
03:36and there is the half from referee Gustavo Tejera
03:41so a stalemate in the opening 45 in Mendoza Independiente Rivadavia again showing how tough
03:48they are to beat and they had the better chances in the first half they rattled the bar early through
03:52Alex Arce had a shot as well from Matias Fernandez that had to be saved another header later in the
03:58half that needed saving as well they outshot Fluminense 8-1 despite being outpossessed nearly 70-30 at the break
04:05in a match
04:06Fluminense must win in a match where Rivadavia could book their spot in the last 16 with a victory
04:15again a Rivadavia win puts them into the round of 16 with two matches to spare
04:21Fluminense desperately in need of a win a draw doesn't do them much good tonight
04:24it wouldn't be out of contention for the knockout rounds if they only manage one point tonight but it wouldn't
04:32help a great deal either
04:33they're early foul and a free kick for Fluminense at their own end line
04:44Florentine, Gomez, Villa now chest it down and Guga touched it away from him
04:50it will be a corner for Rivadavia Guga was claiming it came off Villa last
05:10corner taken short and lots of space was Gomez he curls it back post and they score
05:19it's Arce again for Independiente Rivadavia more dark blue delight in the Libertadores
05:32another set piece routine that caught Fluminense out and this time they pay the price for it and Arce was
05:39there to bury it and possibly to bury Fluminense's Libertadores hopes for 2026
05:47and possibly to send Rivadavia already into the round of 16
05:52Arce rattled the bar with a header from a corner in the first half
05:56he did not miss that time and Rivadavia seemingly can't miss in this tournament
06:05continuing to make history
06:07he's forward that will leave gaps in the other direction
06:15Canabio
06:17was fought hard for Fluminense tonight
06:21he was dispossessed and Villa
06:26somehow had that find Fernandez then the foul against Guga and he goes into the book
06:32Maribaldi
06:33or
06:34is
06:34the
06:34the
06:34the
06:34the
07:05Fluminense still searching.
07:07In the box this goes.
07:08Not played very well.
07:10And then the attempted volley.
07:11There was a challenge there.
07:13VAR will look at that.
07:14Here's Canabio now.
07:16Canabio puts it wide.
07:20Who couldn't put it on frame.
07:21And they still don't have a shot on target tonight.
07:24Much less a goal.
07:25And they continue to trail by a goal to nil.
07:28It's a wonderful little slipped ball for Canabio.
07:30And he tried to pick out the far corner.
07:32And he wasn't really that close, was he?
07:37I mean, that's...
07:45There is a possibility that these could be the last ten minutes plus
07:50of his time in charge of Fluminense, Luis Zubildia.
07:55And he's going to be shown the card now as he's out of his technical area.
07:58He's been very frustrated with the officiating tonight.
08:03And so now he is booked with ten minutes left.
08:07In Mendoza.
08:08Still time for Fluminense to spoil it at least partially.
08:12But they really needed a win tonight.
08:14It would take a miracle for them to achieve that now.
08:17But we are into seven additional minutes at the end of this second half.
08:20So there is still some time for Fluminense.
08:26Oh, and that's given away.
08:28And here's Lucho Acosta.
08:31Acosta puts it across.
08:33And now John Kennedy.
08:34It's deflected and they score.
08:38Flussow finds something at last tonight in Mendoza.
08:42And one.
08:46Everybody's onside in white.
08:47No issues there.
08:49Who did it deflect off of last?
08:55Not sure.
08:56It may have been Lionel Bucca.
09:01May have taken a double deflection.
09:03Nothing that Bolcado could do.
09:08We've had the seven minutes.
09:10We'll see how much more time is allowed by Gustavo Tejera.
09:13Free kick for Rivadavia.
09:17There's no more time.
09:19It is over in Mendoza.
09:22It's a second half stoppage time fight back from Fluminense to at least rescue a point.
09:27It's not the result that they came here for.
09:30It's a result that will disappoint Independiente Rivadavia.
09:34Although if you told them that a month ago, they would have been shocked.
09:37But this side that have played so well in the Libertadores lose their 100% record in their debut in
09:45second half stoppage time.
09:46They were so close to doing the double over the Brazilian Giants.
09:49But John Kennedy, via a wicked double deflection, rescues something at least for Fluminense,
09:54who remain bottom of the table with just two match weeks left in this group phase.
09:58But do at least remain in contention and salvage at least some morale from that late rescue of a point.
Comments