Mora gives River Plate first summer 'Superclásico', 2-0

River Plate took the first pre-season "Superclásico" against Boca Juniors thanks Uruguayan winger Rodrigo Mora who scored twice as both giants met in Mar del Plata.

River Plate with recently appointed coach Ramón Díaz and Boca Juniors’ Carlos Bianchi on the other bench met again as the first pre-season ‘Superclásico’ of the summer took place at the Atlantic city of Mar del Plata in front of 33,000 people.

Bianchi, who debuted last week with a 1-2 loss to Racing Club, also in a game played in Mar del Plata, decided to make his return with the “Xeneizes” after eight years, displayed a classic 4-3-1-2 formation.

This is Bianchi’s third spell (1998-2001 and 2003-2004), in Boca where he won the Apertura Tournaments in 1998, 2000 and 2003; and the Clausura Tournaments in 1999, plus the Copa Libertadores in 2000, 2001 and 2003, and the Intercontinental in 2000 and 2003.

For tonight’s match, Bianchi decided to preserve recently arrived winger Juan Manuel Martínez (from Corinthians), while Uruguayan centre-midfielder Ribair Rodríguez (ex Siena, Italy) will be on the bench.

Meanwhile, Díaz, who is also going through its third period as coach of the “Millonarios” (1995-1999 and 2001-2002) having won in the past the Aperturas 1996, 1997 and 1999, Clausuras 1997, 2002, and Copa Libertadores 1996 and SuperCopa 1997, decided to deploy a more offensive 3-4-1-2 formation.

Unlike Bianchi, Díaz decided to use the so far only acquisition: former Newell’s Old Boys’ left-mid Leonel Vangioni.

Lineups:

Boca Juniors: Agustín Orión; Franco Sosa, Matías Caruzzo, Guillermo Burdisso, Clemente Rodríguez; Pablo Ledesma, Leandro Somoza, Walter Erviti; Leandro Paredes; Lautaro Acosta, Santiago Silva. Coach: Carlos Bianchi.

River Plate: Marcelo Barovero; Gabriel Mercado, Aldaberto Román, Jonathan Bottinelli; Carlos Sánchez, Leonardo Ponzio, Cristian Ledesma, Leonel Vangioni; Mauro Díaz; Rodrigo Mora, Rogelio Funes Mori. Coach: Ramón Díaz.

Referee: Pablo Lunati.

Stadium: “José María Minella” (Mar del Plata).

Kick-off time: 10:10 pm.

TV: Fox Sports.