Buenos Aires Herald 
Although River’s path to the next stage of the Copa Libertadores was far from straightforward, the team secured its spot in the tournament’s knockout-round with a 2-0 home win against Bolivian club The Strongest. As a result, River will be seeded in the second pot for the round of 16 draw on July 5. This could potentially result in a number of fascinating matchups, including against inter-city rivals Boca Juniors.
River got off to a quick lead 14 minutes into the game with a goal from Argentine midfielder Rodrigo Aliendo. After an errant pass from the opposition, the ball was quickly worked into the box where it fell to the feet of Nicolás de la Cruz. He found Aliendo just outside of the penalty arc with an unselfish pass, resulting in a well placed first time shot into the bottom left corner to beat the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper.
River dominated the match, creating countless opportunities to score thanks to their 70 percent ball possession. However, they were unable to secure a second goal until minute 90 when substitute Miguel Borja cleverly redirected a pass by Pablo Solari into the net.
Despite its bad record away from home in the competition, two losses and a draw with nine goals conceded, River has constantly impressed when in front of their own fans. El Monumental has continued to be a fortress for the millonarios, recording nine of their ten points at home and two consecutive clean sheets.
River was denied a first place finish due to Fluminense’s 1-1 draw against Sporting Cristal in the other group match. Back on May 2, River suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to Fluminense, allowing their opponents to build a heavy advantage on goal difference. This ended up being the only separation between the two sides (+4 compared to River’s 0), as both finished the group stage with 10 points.
