10-Man River Plate Edges Huracán To Go Top

For 70 minutes, River Plate played had the match under control. The team from Nuñez was playing the sleek passing game it was known for during its glory days with captain Ariel Ortega at the center of all River's best moves. 

Then, the 36 year old playmaker was shown a red card by referee Saúl Laverni during a very controversial moment when Ortega was adjudged to have stomped on Huracán's Marcos Ojeda. 

Ortega left the pitch without protest, accepting his punishment with his head hanging low. 

For the next 20 minutes, River held on for dear life as Huracán pressed for the equalizer, but El Globo failed to capitalize its numerical advantage and River Plate went top of the table joint with Banfield and Racing Club. 

Before kick-off, River Plate coach Angel Cappa was greeted with cheers and displays of support from the Huracán fans in his return to the Estadio Tomás Adolfo Ducó for the first time since ending his reign as Huracán manager in 2009. 

From the opening whistle, River always looked the most likely with Ortega pulling the strings. 

After just 11 minutes, Los Millonarios found the break through when Rogelio Funes Mori, last weeks hero with a goal against Tigre, slipped past two defenders to pull the ball back for Facundo Affranchino who swept home Mori's pass and handed River the early lead. 

"We are River and we look at the top of the table," Affranchino commented after the match, "and we want to be champions... We had the ball and created lots of chances. Thank God the goal served the team." 

From there, it appeared River would go on to rout the Parque Patricios outfit, but Huracan goalkeeper Gaston Monzon made a number of key saves to keep his team in the game. 

River's Roberto Pereyra cut in from the left to fire a vicious effort towards the far corner, but Monzón made a finger tip save at full stretch. 

Five minutes into the second half, a brilliant one-touch pass from Ortega freed Diego Buonanotte who tried to beat Monzón at the near post, but the 23-year old keeper was again up to the task with a strong block. 

Although the lead remained one goal, the lead felt like much more as Huracán's best chances came from long range free kicks from Rolando Zárate that never truly threatened Juan Pablo Carrizo in the River goal. 

Following Ortega's polemic expulsion, Huracán started throwing men forward, finishing with three strikers after beginning the day with just one man up front. 

In the end however, River's defense held strong with former Inter Milan man Matias Almeyda providing the on field leadership in Ortega's absence. 

Now, River look forward to next week's Classico against Independiente, although Cappa will have to formulate a new system with Ortega suspended. 

Huracán's players will be pleased to have kept River from running up a high score during the first hour or so, but they will also be heavily disappointed to not have caused Carrizo more trouble after Ortega's sending off. 

El Globo will head to Arsenal next week in match where they should be considered favorites.