Two balls picked up by Julián Álvarez for a double hat trick against Alianza Lima. Photo: Juano Tesone
At just 22 years old, Julián Álvarez has entered the history books. On Wednesday night he was the only River Plate player to score six goals in the same game in 121 years of history. But despite this fact, which already has an impact, the most transcendental thing is that the Cordovan striker’s six conquests are different, showing the enormous repertoire and the large number of virtues that the young curious from Calchín, who leaves Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in July.
Each of Julián’s goals has a different twist. At first, there is concentration to take part in the game and recover the ball. He threw himself to the ground to interrupt a pass from Alianza Lima, causing River’s attack play. After recovering, he stopped immediately and put a diagonal to get between the central defenders in the area and Simón filters a pass to leave him in the hands of the goalkeeper. Before the exit Ángelo Campos, the rival goalkeeper, pointed through a weak right touch.
The first with Julián Álvarez against Alianza Lima on Monumental night. Photo: River Press
The second goal was a good 9. Julián was helpful to Santiago Simón’s cross from the right sector and jumped on foot (a movement that Crespo and Cavenaghi did in their days on the River) to push the ball into the net.
Julián Álvarez’s second against Alianza Lima. Photo: Juano Tesone
In the third, Álvarez received the ball in the third quarter of the court half past the goal. It turned quickly and structured to finish. He flexed his upper body (as they say Angel Labruna did) and took a powerful right shot.
Third by Julián Álvarez against Alianza Lima. Photo: Fotobaires
The fourth goal is after a situation that Álvarez often does: put pressure on opposing goalkeepers when they receive a pass to play at the feet of defenders. Standing in the middle of the attack, near the medialuna of the rival area, River’s striker dived in the direction of Ángelo Campos, Alianza Lima’s goalkeeper, as soon as he saw defender Jefferson Portales structured to play backwards . So when Campos stopped the ball, Julián was on top of him. To top it off, he did a long review. Then, Álvarez snatched the ball from him and pushed it into the goal.
Julián Álvarez’s room against Alianza Lima. Photo: EFE
On the fifth goal, from a distance, the boy from Calchín marked the passage to Elías Gómez. When the left back received the ball in his field, Álvarez was positioned to win behind Alianza Lima’s last man. Gómez sent a long pass and Julián dived into space behind the Peruvian team defender to be left alone with the goalkeeper. He didn’t even have to stop the ball. He accompanied it and as he moved his body to touch him with his right foot, almost slapped him with a stick.
Julián Álvarez’s fifth against Alianza Lima. Photo: Reuters
On his sixth goal, Álvarez shot from right to center and received from Elías Gómez on the crescent of the area. After taking superb control with his right foot, he rushed into the area with a dominated ball, leaving two rivals on the road and specified a left foot cross.
Julián Álvarez’s sixth against Alianza Lima. Photo: Juano Tesone
On one historic night, Julián drew all his faces. And it was all of that potential that propelled him to first dazzle Marcelo Gallardo, who promoted him to the First Division in 2018 and helped him grow from that moment on. Then, to Lionel Scaloni, who called him to the Copa América that Argentina won last year and from that moment on Álvarez has been a fixture on every National Team roster. And then, with Guardiola, nothing less.
“Julián smelled purpose. And I love how he moves in short spaces, how he defines and the different resources to define, which is something that is very hard to find, ”the Manchester City coach said of Álvarez a few months ago. ago.On Wednesday night, at the Monumental, Julián agreed with Guardiola.He scored six goals.And each in a different way.
The opinion of an expert on scoring goals
By Daniel Onega
“Julián is a player who scores different goals for you all the time. He’s not a player who just drives balls. He does it from the right, from the left, inside the area, with shots from the outside, hitting the goalkeeper, he is also complete and generous. Run and force your rivals all the time. It’s been 90 minutes and the boy is still running and focused, “he said in dialogue with Clarion Daniel Onega, an expert in scoring goals.
Onega, River’s historic striker, who still holds the record for the club — and absolute-top scorer in a Copa Libertadores (he scored 17 goals in the 1966 edition), praised Julián when highlighting his characteristics: “He has exceptional conditions. He is very fast, he enters from the right, from the left, he hits the ball very hard and very well. And he always wants to learn more.”
Onega also provided specific details about Álvarez’s goals. “Julián helps himself a lot with his body to define. With the body movements he makes as well as with the profiles. In that way he disorients the rival, not knowing where he is going.” , in this regard, he added: “Profiles are very important. Renato Cesarini taught them to me when he made my debut in the First Division because that was so important for a striker. And these are concepts that are still valid ”. He also remarked that “it gives an advantage”. And he explained it: “He’s a goalscorer who practically doesn’t head goals. He usually kicks corners. Even so, he has a lot of goals.”
Source: Clarin
