River Plate snatched the leadership of Group D of the Copa Libertadores from the Quito League on Tuesday, from which they advanced to the round of 16, by winning 3-0 with goals from Colombians Rafael Santos Borré and Jorge Carrascal, and from Argentine Julián Álvarez .
River advanced with 13 points out of 18 possible to the sixteen best phase, and Liga de Quito with 12.
Santos Borré opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, although his final position created controversy, and Álvarez, 20, scored 2-0 seven minutes later.
When everything seemed consummated, Carrascal, who had entered in the 83rd minute, scored at 89.
As they were both classified, the two teams were loose and took risks.
The intensity and ferocity with which River Plate and Liga de Quito took to the field led to four reprimands in the first 23 minutes.
At 35 minutes, Matías Suárez received a long pass from the right of the attack, took off his marker with a dribble and was alone against Adrián Gabbarini, but his shot with his left leg went very far from the second post and wasted the clearest play of the first half.
Soon after, Borré had his chance, but he also failed in the definition.
Liga de Quito did not have such clear possibilities, but it came many times with danger to the local area during the first 45 minutes.
At halftime, River Plate midfielder Ignacio Fernández was replaced by Santiago Sosa due to a blow he suffered.
River Plate's first goal came in the 53rd minute, after a corner kick.
Gabbarini miscalculated, Sosa deflected it and Borré, who was in a forward position, only had to push the ball into goal.
At 60 minutes, Álvarez received a great assistance from Borré, one of the party's figures, and defined with a soft and precise touch before the departure of Gabbarini.
Cristian Martínez Borja had the discount on his feet in the 72nd minute, but the scorer hit him bitten and his shot went wide.
Carrascal, who entered the 83rd minute, scored the third in the 89th minute with a precise definition at the near post after a great assist from Lucas Pratto, who had also been on the pitch for just a few minutes.
Thanks to this victory, River Plate will have the benefit of facing a team that finished second in the second round and will be home in the second game of the series.
3. River Plate: Franco Armani, Gonzalo Montiel, Paulo Díaz, Javier Pinola, Milton Casco; Ignacio Fernández (m.46, Santiago Sosa), Enzo Pérez (m.66, Leonardo Ponzio), Nicolás De la Cruz (m.88, Lucas Prato); Julián Álvarez (m.82, Jorge Carrascal), Rafael Borré (m.82, Cristian Ferreira), and Matías Suárez.
Coach: Marcelo Gallardo.
0. Quito League: Adrián Gabbarini; Pedro Perlaza, Luis Caicedo, Moisés Corozo, Luis Ayala; José Quinteros (m.66, Junior Somoza), Lucas Villaruel (m.66, Jordy Alcívar), Lucas Piovi, Adolfo Muñoz (m.90, Billy Arce); Jhojan Palacios (m.76, Marcos Caicedo) and Cristian Martínez Borja.
Coach: Pablo Repetto.
Goals: 1-0, m.53: Rafael Santos Borré. 2-0, m.60: Julián Álvarez. 3-0, m.89: Jorge Carrascal.
Referee: Chilean Roberto Tobar admonished Montiel, De la Cruz, Gabbarini, Villaruel, Muñoz.
Incidents: match of the sixth and last day of Group D of the Copa Libertadores played behind closed doors at the Libertadores de América stadium, in the province of Buenos Aires.