VAR disallowed a second goal for Club Atlético River Plate in their narrow 1-0 win over Racing Club this Saturday at the Monumental. Referee Rey Hilfer ruled that Gonzalo Montiel, in an offside position, interfered with goalkeeper Facundo Cambeses' vision during the play that ended with Ángel Correa's finish.
The match, corresponding to matchday 13 of the Liga Profesional Argentina, had begun with a home lead thanks to a Lautaro Rivero goal in the 33rd minute, assisted by Correa. However, just before halftime, an attacking move led to the controversial outcome. After a Tomás Galván shot saved by Cambeses, the rebound fell to Correa, who scored what appeared to be the 2-0.
The VAR review
The video assistant referee, Felipe Viola, alerted Hilfer to a possible offside. After reviewing the images, the match official concluded that Montiel, positioned in front of the opposing goalkeeper, impaired his sight at the moment of Galván's initial shot. "The referee considered that Montiel hindered Cambeses' vision, which is why he ended up calling offside," Hilfer explained after the match. The sanction was an indirect free kick for Racing, sparking strong protests from River Plate players.
This is the third consecutive match where River Plate have had a goal disallowed by VAR in the league, following handball calls against Vera versus Sarmiento and Ortega against Belgrano. The decision prevented the team, who sit sixth in the standings with 20 points, from extending their lead before halftime and sealing the game with more comfort.
Context ahead of the Superclásico
The controversy comes at a time of great form for the team from Núñez, who are on a four-game winning streak and are unbeaten in their last five matches. Their last result was a convincing 3-0 win over Belgrano. With 18 goals scored this season, Tomás Galván is the squad's top scorer with seven.
Attention now turns completely to the next fixture. River Plate will visit Boca Juniors at La Bombonera on November 1st, in a Superclásico that always defines moods. The team arrives with high morale due to their streak, but the shadow of refereeing decisions, like Saturday's, adds an extra layer of tension to the buildup. The match against Racing, despite the victory, leaves a bittersweet taste due to the disallowed goal that could have sealed the match much earlier.
