Goalless Draw and Driussi Injury: First Half of River — Rosario Central. In the Apertura Tournament semifinal between River and Rosario Central, the first half ended scoreless. Key moments included Driussi's injury and a penalty saved by Ledesma. The match is taking place at the Monumental Stadium.
The Torneo Apertura semifinal between River and Rosario Central has kicked off at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires and immediately produced two sharp moments. Early in the match, the home team’s forward Sebastián Driussi suffered a serious knee injury after a hard collision with Franco Ibarra. The River player, in distress, requested a substitution and was replaced on the field by Joaquín Freitas. Initial assessments suggest the injury could be severe, which has created tension within the team.
By the 31st minute, the tension was mounting: after a struggle in the penalty area, Gastón Ávila hit Lucas Martínez Quarta with his elbow and received a yellow card. The referee awarded a penalty, which Gonzalo Montiel stepped up to take. However, visiting goalkeeper Jeremías Ledesma guessed the direction of the shot and saved Rosario Central’s goal, keeping the score at 0:0. This episode became the key moment of the first half and allowed the visitors to stay in the game.
Both teams came into the semifinal in good form. River reached the top four after a 2:0 win over Gimnasia de La Plata, with goals from Driussi and Lucas Martínez Quarta. Over the last 16 matches, the team has suffered only two defeats and aims to continue its successful run to reach the final of the first tournament of the season in the Argentine Primera. Rosario Central, led by Ángel Di María, beat Racing 2:1 in the quarterfinals thanks to goals from Gastón Ávila and Enzo Copetti. For the club, this semifinal is a chance to bounce back after a controversial trophy awarding for best results in 2025.
Semifinal matches always attract the attention of fans and experts, just like recent decisive encounters in other tournaments. For example, an article on the key intrigues of the ATP Roma 2026 semifinals analyzed the expectations and twists at the playoff stage in detail: details on the battle for a place in the final in Rome.
For reference: Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires is the largest football arena in Argentina, with a capacity of over 80,000 spectators. River Plate is one of the most decorated clubs in the country, while Rosario Central is traditionally considered a strong team with broad regional support. In the 2026 season, the Torneo Apertura once again became the centerpiece of Argentine football, and the semifinals consistently attract heightened interest from fans and the media.
