River Plate Loses 2-0 to Independiente del Valle
River Plate faced a tough night at altitude in Quito, Ecuador, falling 2-0 to Independiente del Valle on April 23, 2025, in a pivotal Copa Libertadores Group B match.
Spinelli Strikes Twice to Down El Millonario
Claudio Spinelli was the man of the match, scoring both goals for Independiente del Valle in the first half. Both came from wing plays that exposed River’s defensive gaps.
- 23rd minute: Spinelli tapped in a cross from Renato Ibarra.
- 29th minute: He doubled the lead with a finish off a Layan Loor assist.
Independiente nearly added a third when Ibarra hit the post minutes later. Spinelli’s rebound could have sealed his hat trick, but he missed.
Altitude Continues to Haunt River
Quito’s 2,800-meter elevation proved difficult once again. River Plate has now played 11 matches in Ecuador’s capital without a win — tallying 7 losses and 4 draws.
Despite attacking efforts from Facundo Colidio and Franco Mastantuono, River struggled to generate quality chances. Mastantuono’s powerful left-footed shot in the 39th minute went just wide.
Team Lineups and Match Highlights
River Plate Starting XI:
Franco Armani; Bustos, Pezzella, González Pirez, Casco; Simón, Aliendro, Castaño; Mastantuono, Driussi, Colidio
Coach Marcelo Gallardo chose to bench Gonzalo Montiel, starting Fabricio Bustos instead.
Independiente del Valle XI:
Villar; Santamaria, Zárate, Carabajal, Loor; Alcívar, Cazares, Mercado; Ibarra, Spinelli, Rodriguez
Group B Standings After the Match
| Position | Team | Points | GD |
| 1 | Independiente del Valle | 6 | +2 |
| 2 | Barcelona | 4 | 0 |
| 3 | River Plate | 4 | -1 |
| 4 | Universitario | 3 | -1 |
River drops to third place, and their path to the round of 16 now looks more complicated.
Upcoming Matches for River Plate
River returns home to face Boca Juniors on April 27 in one of Argentina’s most anticipated fixtures — the Superclásico. They’ll also play Vélez on May 3 as the Apertura Tournament continues.
Will River Plate recover in time for the Superclásico, or will this loss shake their confidence further.
More…
- https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2025/04/23/river-plate-visitara-a-independiente-del-valle-en-la-altura-por-la-copa-libertadores-hora-tv-y-formaciones/
- https://www.barrons.com/news/spanish/river-diezmado-a-saldar-una-deuda-pendiente-con-del-valle-en-la-libertadores-e07ba6b0
- https://www.ole.com.ar/futbol-internacional/libertadores/independiente-valle-vs-river-hoy-vivo-online-partido-fecha-3-copa-libertadores_0_U7GGnGxpnp.html
