Stalemate at El Monumental as River Plate and Boca draw 0-0

The first of three Boca-River SuperClasico games ended goalless at El Monumental in a match River Plate will feel they should have claimed maximum points. 

Boca, who have yet to concede all season in the current SuperLiga campaign offered little for a River side who took the game to their city rivals but were thwarted by Esteban Andrada when they found the target.

The Argentine giants will now face off again in October in the Copa Libertadores 2019 semi-final with hope that the football served up in the two legged affair is of a superior class to what we witnessed in Nuñez tonight.     

So the first of three SuperClasicos ends goalless. Next instalment early October as Copa Libertadores takes centre stage.

All over. Stalemate at El Monumental in a game that River deserved to win and will rue a series of poor finishes with Andrada the best player for Boca Juniors.

Last minute, River attack but it will be Boca the happier side with the point. 

Foul after foul now.... the game winding down as to what has been a largely scrappy affair.

The game is all over the place now with tiredness a key factor, no side will want to lose at this late juncture of the action.

Fabra carded for a pull as River break

Boca earn another later corner. 

We´ll have 4' of time added

Fernandez carded for dangerous play.

Boca now the side applying pressure as River are forced back. Tevez has looked sharp since his introduction.

Tevez goes for goal from the free and Armani tips over.

Casco carded for the pull on Villa

River still push and win a corner, the move comes to nothing as Villa breaks from his own half with a great run and is pulled back. 

Change for River: Borre off-Socco on

10' to go. Can River get the goal their play has deserved. Boca still to concede in almost 5 games of the current Superliga campaign. 

River win a dangerous free kick outside the Boca area. Ferreira looks for the target but pulls the ball right of the Boca post.

Boca change: MacAllister off-Tevez on

Change for River Plate: Ferreira-Palacios

15' remaining at El Monumental as Carlos Tevez is poised to make an entrance

River have created possibly 3-4 half decent scoring chances but on each occasion the ball is hit straight at the Boca keeper.  

Borre finds himself in front of the target but yet again the ball is straight at Andrada. 

Poor crosses, misplaced passes....the tonic for the past 10-15 minutes at El Monumental

De la Cruz embarks on one of his mazy runs but is stopped in his tracks. Both sides now giving possession away far too cheaply as the game gets ragged. 

Boca Juniors change: De Rossi-Reynoso

De la Cruz goes to ground holding his face. Ref. well placed again waves play on. 

Fouls committed: River 14-15 Boca

Pratto-Suarez (change for River) 

Fernandez strikes again but yet again his effort is straight at Andrade. The game needs a goal ! 

Hurtado - Villa (change for Boca)

River continue to completely dominate the game but can still not carve out an opening.

Call for a River penalty as Casco appeared to be upended on the edge of the Boca box. Ref having none of it and waves play on. 

The former Argentina Juniors man has been the best player for Boca tonight.

McAllister forces Armani into action with a rasping shot. 

Martinez heads on target and forces Andrada into action. River edging closer to opening the deadlock. 

River piling on the pressure as the fans encourage their side "Vamos vamos River Plate" 

Martinez with a great chance to open the scoring for River but the defender scoops the ball over the bar from close range.

Pratto tries an audaucios lob but the ball was deflected for a corner

The game adopting a similar pattern to the start of the first half with River Plate  dominating possession and Boca sitting deep.

Palacios should do better for River after great build up play from the men in red and white. 

Off we go at El Monumental. Fingers crossed for a better 45' as River start the action.  

The teams return to the pitch with no reported changes from River Plate at the break. Boca do have 4 players on yellow cards and this may influence second half changes from Alfaro.

Half time at El Monumental and 0-0 on the scoreboard. Little chances for either side with River enjoying the bulk of possession. 

3' of time to be added in the first half

De la Cruz unleashes a fierce right footed drive but the ball is straight at Andrada. Fine effort from the Uruguayan.  

Hurtado also carded for a rash challenge on Diaz. River players calling for a red card.

A pretty anonymous performance so far tonight for Daniele De Rossi in his first SuperClasico.

Possession: 59-41 (%) River-Boca 

Wonderful delivery from Fernandez whipping in a dangerous left footed pass but no River Plate on hand to finish the move. 

Another card for Boca with Marcone's name in the book too

River forging around the edge of the box and Boca doing their best to stem the flow. Only one team at this game but River yet to carve out a clear cut scoring chance.  

Card for Enzo Perez as he trips free flowing McAllister 

River Plate fans enjoying what they've seen so far in El SuperClasico.

Nacho Fernandez breaks to the edge of the area but fires his cross straight into Andrada's arms in the Boca goal.

Approaching the 30 minute mark and the SuperClasico has yet to really stir into life. Too many interruptions but River Plate well on top here in the barrio of Nuñez.

River fans release a sizeable quantity of black balloons, yet another reminder of the Madrid Libertadores defeat.  

 Lopez carded for dangerous play

Boca keeper Esteban Andrada has just made club history for the longest run of not conceding in the Argentina top flight.

Rivals not enemies !

River still in control but the home side have yet to put Boca stopper Andrada to the test yet as Armani in the home goal has been a virtual spectator for the first 20' of the action.

 Izquierdoz carded for a shirt pull

De la Cruz falls in the area but the match official is right on the spot to wave play on.

Clear River dominance possession wise as he hit the 15' mark

The game yet to come alive with too many interruptions ruing the flow of the action. De la Cruz and Pratto looking sharp tonight for Gallardo's men.  

Great counter from River as Pratto lurched waiting for the delivery that Boca manages to clear. Two quick corners for Los Millionarios...

All River at present with Boca struggling to get into the opposition half. Tremendous noise coming from the 70,000 River fans packed into El Monumental. 

De la Cruz is tripped close to the area and River earn a dangerous free kick. The Uruguayan to take...straight into the wall and Boca clear their lines.

First half chance falls to Boca as Hurtado slips as he latches onto a cross ball and is easily dealt with by Armani

Early pressure from River as the win a corner with the move coming to nothing as Casco over-hits a pass.

Boca yet to concede in their 4 Superliga games to date this season. Can River be the first side to force Andrada to pick the ball out of his own net this season? 

Boca start the action....

All set for the 249th meeting between River Plate and Boca Juniors. The whistle sounds and off we go.  

What a night for De Rossi. The Italian moved to Buenos Aires for nights like this! 

Team captains Carlos Izquierdoz and Armani exchange pennants and kick-off looms closer. 

The teams enter the pitch with a roar of noise and El Monumental a sea of red and white. 

Huge ovation from the home fans as River head coach Marcelo Gallardo appears on the big screen at El Monumental.

9/12 !

Plenty of River fans reminding Boca of what happened on December 9th (2019) when Los Millionarios secured the 2019 Copa Libertadores at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

10' to go and El Monumental is a sea of red and white under a clear blue Buenos Aires sky. No away fans tonight with the Argentine game slowly allowing select fan groups attend away games. It remains to be seen what happens for October's Copa Libertadores semi-final ties.      

Former Boca striker Dario Benedetto on target for his new side Olympique Marseilles tonight in the French Ligue 1 as they face Saint Etienne.   

Here's how the Superliga Argentina table looks going into tonight's game. A win for Boca will send them joint top with the new improved San Lorenzo who have found a new leaf of life under coach JA Pizzi.     

River come into tonight's game on the back of a shock 0-1 reverse at home to Talleres with Boca winning 0-1 at Banfield with Soldano bagging the only goal of the game in record time for an Argentine top flight game. 

Boca Juniors XI

River-Boca (head to head): To date both sides gave faced each other on 248 occasions with Boca winning 88, River victorious on 82 times and 78 games ending in stalemate.

Tonight's match official is 41-year-old Fernando Rapallini

A fresh evening in the Argentine capital for the River fans at El Monumental with a chilly 12 degrees come kick-off bit no rain forecast.

The Boca dressing room as kick-off looms...

The River Plate XI has been confirmed:  

Kick-off at El Monumental is at 22:00 CEST.

Hello and a warm welcome to our live coverage of the Superliga Argentina Superclásico as River Plate face Boca Juniors.