10 years after River’s return to Primera: how was the promotion campaign

On June 23, 2012, River beat Almirante Brown 2-0 at the Monumental, with goals from David Trezeguetand thus sealed his return to First Division. There were 363 days in the B Nacional that seemed like an eternity. An unexpected journey along a campaign of 38 dates that only in the last season defined the ascent that turns 10 today.

The first step of the reconstruction was taken in driving. Matias Almeydathe captain of the team that was relegated on June 26, 2011 after the Promotion against Belgrano, from one day to the next became the technical director responsible for bringing a ship adrift to a safe port.

With Pelado in the bank, more Fernando Cavenaghi and Alejandro “Chori” Domínguez as stellar reinforcements, River started his way in B National with a 1-0 victory over Chacarita in the Monumental, with a goal from the Uruguayan side Juan Manuel Díaz.

The next five home games were at the Huracán (one) and San Lorenzo (four) stadiums due to the late sanction for the incidents in Núñez the afternoon of the descent. Precisely, the undefeated starting 11 dates, which included the 7-1 win over Atlanta, lost it in the last match of that string (0-2 against Aldosivi at the Nuevo Gasómetro). He immediately recovered with a 4-1 against Gymnastics in Jujuy (Cavenaghi poker)although on the return home they fell 0-2 against Atlético Tucumán.

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That stretch of the season was the most irregular because, after beating Guillermo Brown 4-1 in Puerto Madryn and drawing 1-1 against Rosario Central in the Monumental, another painful defeat, in Corrientes, 0-1 against Boca Unidos.

The immediate 1-0 victory over Patronato in Núñez allowed him to finish 2011 in direct promotion zone, but with the feeling that something more was still missing for the second half of the championship. And that plus was given by the arrivals of Leonardo Ponzio and David Trezeguet, fundamental pieces to achieve the objective.

River stringed together ten games without losing until the fourth defeat of the Almeyda cycle: Atlanta, that rival he had crushed in the first round, beat him 1-0 in Vélez, with a goal from Fernando Lorefice. But again the team got up quickly and beat Huracán 2-0 on the following day.

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After seven games without falling, The last stumble of the Millionaire in the National B occurred at a date of the end, on the field of Colón de Santa Fe, 0-1 against Patronato de Paraná. Although River remained first in the table, it shared the position with Instituto and had Rosario Central and Quilmes one unit away.

Everything settled on the last day. With a win, River was going to be champion, but with a draw or a defeat they could have to play the Promotion again. And there appeared the hierarchy of Trezeguet: his two goals for the 2-0 win over Almirante Brown meant the much-desired and long-suffering return to the elite of Argentine soccer.

The total harvest was 73 points, product of 20 wins, 13 draws and 5 losses, with 66 goals for and 28 against. Cavenaghi established himself as the top scorer, with 19 goals; Lucas Ocampos he was the only one who played all the matches of the tournament and Jonatan Maidanathe one who was on the pitch the longest: 3,157 minutes.

10 years after River’s return to Primera: all the results in the B Nacional

• Date 1: 1-0 vs. Chacarita Juniors (L). Goal: Juan Manuel Diaz.
• Dates 2: 3-1 vs. Independent Rivadavia (V). Goals: Lucas Ocampos, Martín Aguirre and Carlos Sánchez.
• Date 3: 3-1 vs. Sportivo Desamparados (L). Goals: Ocampos, Sánchez and Alejandro Domínguez.
• Date 4: 1-1 vs. Quilmes (V). Goal: Fernando Cavenaghi.
• Date 5: 2-2 vs. Defense and Justice (L). Goals: Cavenaghi and Gabriel Funes Mori.
• Date 6: 0-0 vs. Deportivo Merlo (F)
• Date 7: 2-0 vs. Gymnastics and Fencing La Plata (L). Goals Gabriel Funes Mori and Diaz.
• Date 8: 0-0 vs. West Rail Rail (V)
• Date 9: 7-1 vs. Atlanta (L). Goals: Aguirre, Cavenaghi (3), Ocampos, Andres Rios and Fabian Bordagaray.
• Date 10: 2-1 vs. Huracán (V). Goals: Aguirre (2).
• Date 11: 0-0 vs. Institute (V)
• Date 12: 1-2 vs. Aldosives (L). Goal: Cavenaghi.
• Date 13: 4-1 vs. Gymnastics and Fencing of Jujuy (V). Goals: Cavenaghi (4).
• Date 14: 0-2 vs. Atletico Tucuman.
• Date 15: 4-1 vs. Guillermo Brown (V). Goals: Ocampos, Domínguez and Cavenaghi (2).
• Date 16: 1-1 vs. Central Rosary (L). Goal: Cavenaghi.
• Date 17: 0-1 vs. United mouth (V).
• Date 18: 1-0 vs. Patronato (L). Goal: Sanchez.
• Date 19: 1-1 vs. Almirante Brown (V). Goal: Cavenaghi.
• Date 20: 2-0 vs. Chacarita (V). Goals: Damián Toledo (against) and Ocampos.
• Date 21: 3-0 vs. Independent Rivadavia (L). Goals: Cavenaghi, Domínguez and David Trezeguet.
• Date 22: 4-1 vs. Sportivo Desamparados (V). Goals: Leonardo Ponzio, Ramiro Funes Mori, Gabriel Funes Mori and Trezeguet.
• Date 23: 0-0 vs. Quilmes (L).
• Date 24: 3-3 vs. Defense and Justice (V). Goals: Ocampos and Trezeguet (2).
• Date 25: 3-0 vs. Deportivo Merlo (L). Goals: Trezeguet and Cavenaghi (2).
• Date 26: 0-0 vs. Gymnastics and Fencing La Plata (V).
• Date 27: 3-0 vs. Railroad West (L). Goals: Ramiro Funes Mori and Trezeguet (2).
• Date 28: 0-1 vs. Atlanta (V).
• Date 29: 2-0 vs. Hurricane (L). Goals: Hernán González (against) and Cavenaghi.
• Date 30: 1-0 vs. Instituto (L). Goal: Trezeguet.
• Date 31: 1-1 vs. Aldosivi (V). Goal: Dominguez.
• Date 32: 1-0 vs. Gymnastics and Fencing of Jujuy (L). Goal: Trezeguet.
• Date 33: 4-2 Atlético Tucumán (V). Goals: César González, Trezeguet (2) and Sánchez.
• Date 34: 2-2 vs. Guillermo Brown (L). Goals: Cavenaghi and Daniel Villalva.
• Date 35: 0-0 vs. Rosario Central.
• Date 36: 2-1 vs. United mouth (L). Goals: Ocampos and Gabriel Funes Mori.
• Date 37: 0-1 vs. Patronage (V).
• Date 38: 2-0 vs. Almirante Brown (L). Goals: Trezeguet (2).