CA River Plate

vs

Sarmiento

Preview

River Plate

• CA River Plate sit 17th in Liga Profesional - Apertura 2026 after eight games, with 11 points.
• River Plate have won two of their three home games in Liga Profesional - Apertura 2026, scoring an average of 2.00 goals per game.
• Eduardo Coudet has instilled a proactive, high-tempo playing style into his River Plate team since taking the reins in March 2026, where they will look to win the ball high up the field and attack with speed and numbers.

Sarmiento

• Sarmiento are 21st after nine games with 10 points.
• Sarmiento have lost all four of their away games in Liga Profesional - Apertura 2026, failing to win a single point.
• Facundo Sava has always been a pragmatic coach, preferring to set his team up in a compact, solid formation, playing direct football through the midfield into the target man, looking to strike on the counter or from set pieces.

Head-to-Head

• CA River Plate have won 2 of the last 4 encounters with Sarmiento, though Sarmiento won the most recent head-to-head 1-0 away in Liga Profesional 2025.
• Head-to-head matches at El Monumental have been tight, with both sides averaging just 0.5 goals per game over their last 4 meetings.

Key Players

• Julian Contrera provides a bit of a spark for Sarmiento, registering two assists in nine appearances this campaign, while Junior Marabel is the main man in terms of goals, having scored four goals in nine league games, both of Sarmiento’s goals in their last five outings.
• Gonzalo Montiel is River’s danger man, the right-back who likes to get forward and has two goals in eight Liga Profesional - Apertura 2026 games this season, offering a threat from fullback.
• Key players:
  • Julian Contrera
  • Junior Marabel
  • Gonzalo Montiel

Betting Insights

• However, River are a much more intense and higher pressing team, and the fact that Sarmiento have lost all of their four away games in Liga Profesional - Apertura 2026 makes the ‘Over 2.5 goals’ market at 1.83 look attractive.
• With River’s attack minded approach and Sarmiento’s defensive style of play, this could be a chess match.

Prediction

• A home win is a solid option at 1.36, but the visitors have been resilient lately, with one win, one draw and three losses from their last five matches, most recently holding Racing Club to a 0-0 draw.
• The home team will dominate possession and are likely to create the majority of chances in this game and the odds suggest they should be claiming all three points here.