River Plate 2-2 Vélez Sarsfield: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings

How the match unfolded

River Plate struck first through Ángel Correa in the 11th minute, set up by Lucas Martínez Quarta. An own goal by Thiago Silvero made it 2-0 to River Plate in the 43rd minute. Diego Valdés made it 2-1 to Vélez Sarsfield in the 61st minute, set up by Matías Pellegrini. Vélez Sarsfield levelled at 2-2 in the 79th minute through Manuel Lanzini, set up by Elías Gómez.

River Plate were two goals up and could not hold on: Vélez Sarsfield came back from two down for a draw.

It was 2-0 at half-time, and the second half changed the result.

The referee, D. Herrera, showed 3 yellow cards: 2 to River Plate and 1 to Vélez Sarsfield.

River Plate: E. Coudet, 4-2-3-1 · Vélez Sarsfield: G. Barros Schelotto, 4-2-3-1.

Moneyball's prediction against the result

Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.

Why it went this way

On the day the expected goals were 0.98 for River Plate and 0.79 for Vélez Sarsfield.

River Plate scored about 1.0 more than their chances were worth: clinical finishing, or a goalkeeper having a bad day.

Vélez Sarsfield made more of their chances than the xG suggests, by about 1.2 goals.

River Plate had 3 shots on target, Vélez Sarsfield 4.

River Plate had 57% of the ball.

Where the two sides stood before this match

River Plate came into it with 33 Liga Profesional Argentina matches played, scoring 1.4 and conceding 0.9 a match, with 1.67 expected goals for and 0.78 against, and had won 52% of their matches.

Vélez Sarsfield came into it with 30 Liga Profesional Argentina matches played, scoring 1.2 and conceding 0.9 a match, with 1.14 expected goals for and 1.34 against, and had won 43% of their matches.

River Plate vs Vélez Sarsfield: the match in numbers

Team statistics from Sportmonks.

Player ratings and man of the match

Man of the match: Diego Valdés (Vélez Sarsfield), rated 7.5 by Sportmonks, with 1 goal.

River Plate

• Aníbal Moreno 7.2
• Ángel Correa 7.2 1 goal
• Lucas Martínez Quarta 7.2 1 assist
• Giovanni González 7.1
• Tobías Andrada 7.1

Vélez Sarsfield

• Diego Valdés 7.5 1 goal
• Rodrigo Aliendro 7.2
• Matías Pellegrini 7.0 1 assist
• Manuel Lanzini 6.9 1 goal
• Elías Gómez 6.7 1 assist

The lowest-rated starter was Simón Escobar at 6.3. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.

What comes next

• River Plate: River Plate vs Racing Club Sunday 25 October 2026 · Liga Profesional Argentina
• Vélez Sarsfield: Central Cordoba SdE vs Vélez Sarsfield Monday 26 October 2026 · Liga Profesional Argentina

Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.

Questions about River Plate vs Vélez Sarsfield

What was the score in River Plate vs Vélez Sarsfield?

River Plate 2-2 Vélez Sarsfield (half-time 2-0), Liga Profesional Argentina, Sunday 23 August 2026.

Who scored in River Plate vs Vélez Sarsfield?

Ángel Correa 11', Diego Valdés 61', Manuel Lanzini 79'.

Did Moneyball predict River Plate vs Vélez Sarsfield correctly?

Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.

Who was man of the match in River Plate vs Vélez Sarsfield?

Diego Valdés, rated 7.5 by Sportmonks.

Who refereed River Plate vs Vélez Sarsfield?

D. Herrera.