Matías Suárez: played 20 minutes, won the match and was sixth in the Gallardo-era top scorers

It’s Matias. And it’s not Louis. It is the Suarez de river. And not what was about to come. It is he who does everything to play with the red band and not the one who set the conditions for continuity in the Copa Libertadores to land in Núñez. The one who fights injuries to continue playing in Marcelo Gallardo’s team and not to think about a World Cup. He is the Cordovan and not the Uruguayan. And while he’s not an international figure, he’s very important to River. It is he who needs competition to help Núñez’s team win, as happened in the Libertadores de América-Enrique Bochini. With his goal, in the epilogue of the Avellaneda classic, Matías Suárez gave River an important victory.

“I like being able to help but I want to highlight the team that played a great match. We got three important points, “said Suárez at the end of the match, who with his goal reached 34 goals at the River and was sixth in the Gallardo-era scorers, along with Uruguayan Rodrigo Mora.

“Numbers are important but more important is helping the team. Marcelo (Gallardo) gave me a place and his confidence from the first moment I arrived at the club and to be able to repay him for everything that makes me happy “, acknowledged the forward who has not transformed since April 24 against Colo- Colo for the Libertadores Cup.

Suárez only played 15 minutes because they are taking it little by little and he was decisive. He came in for Esequiel Barco, played on the left wing and was in the right place at the right time. After a shot from Bruno Zuculini, he slipped between the Independiente defenders to take the rebound and define before the exit of Milton Álvarez, who made a good performance and kept the zero in Independiente’s goal.

“I’m starting a little, the knee is fine and I feel ready to play a little more because I’m confident. I had to go in and score and that’s very important, ”admitted the 34-year-old Cordovan.

And speaking of the match he commented: “In the second half we looked for it, we wanted to win it. And the goal could have come earlier, but it was after a lucky play, in which the ball was right for me and I managed to finish ”. His goal play was revised for a possible advanced position but Suárez was enabled, beyond the claims of local players.

This time the goal was not canceled as it was against Vélez, in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16, when the Chilean referee Roberto Tobar failed to validate the goal after being called by the VAR for a hand that no one could see.

That goal could have led to the arrival of the other Suárez if River had then beaten Vélez and moved on to the quarter-finals. But it didn’t happen. And Luis, the “Gunman” hasn’t arrived. He went to the Nacional de Montevideo.

The river still has its Suárez. It’s Matias. And yesterday he was happy in the classic against Independiente so much that Gallardo’s team continues to think that it is possible to fight for the championship.