River Plate, one of Argentina's most storied football clubs, faces a critical moment this Wednesday, August 19, at 9:30 PM Argentina time (8:30 PM in Colombia) when they visit Independiente Santa Fe at the El Campín stadium in Bogotá for the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana 2026 round of 16. Coach Eduardo Coudet arrived in Colombia with a daunting challenge: three key starters are out with injuries, forcing him to improvise an almost emergency defense.
The Absences That Forced Coudet to Rethink Everything
Gonzalo Montiel, the right-back who scored the winning penalty in the 2022 World Cup final for Argentina, suffered a left adductor strain during Sunday's 2-0 victory over Argentinos Juniors and was ruled out of the trip. Marcos Acuña, another World Cup champion, has not yet been cleared to play after a hamstring tear suffered against Gimnasia in La Plata; he would only complete the stipulated 21-day recovery period this Wednesday. Sebastián Driussi, the team's striker, is in the final stage of recovery from a calf tear and also stayed home.
Adding to these absences are the reinforcements who were not registered for this stage of the tournament: Giovanni González, Francisco Ortega, Mauro Arambarri, and Lucas Beltrán. The regulations allow only five changes to the squad list for the round of 16, and Coudet had already used his quota.
The Unprecedented Defense Coudet Tested
With no natural full-backs available, Coudet experimented in Tuesday's practice at River Camp with a three-man defensive line: Lucas Martínez Quarta shifted to right-back, Nicolás Otamendi and Lautaro Rivero as central defenders, and Facundo González on the left flank. A four-man line is also being considered as an alternative.
Rivero, who has barely played this semester, would earn only his third start of the season. The other option is youth prospect Ángel Yutiel Susano, aged 19, who traveled with the delegation but would likely start on the bench.
Who Is Yutiel Susano?
Born on January 31, 2007, in Isidro Casanova, a working-class neighborhood in La Matanza, Buenos Aires province, Susano began playing baby football at local clubs Américo Passadores and Justo Villegas. At age eight, he joined River after passing a trial in 2015. His teammates call him 'Terry', and although his natural position is center-back, he has also been used as a right-back and midfielder during his development.
In 2026, he played 14 Reserve team matches and scored a goal in his debut against Unión. He had already participated in the squad's training camp in Cardales and the preseason tour in Europe, where River faced Flamengo. However, he does not yet have a professional contract with the club, making his call-up even more remarkable.
Midfield and Attack: New Faces, New Hopes
In midfield, Aníbal Moreno, Tobías Andrada, and Fausto Vera would share the central zone for the first time together. Further forward, Thiago Almada, the 2022 World Cup winner who impressed in his debut against Argentinos Juniors, would operate as the playmaker. In attack, Rafael Santos Borré would fill the void left by Beltrán, supported by Ángel Correa and Joaquín Freitas.
Also traveling with the squad is Jonathan Spiff, a Reserve team top scorer who already made his first-team debut against Blooming at the Monumental stadium.
River Plate's Probable Starting Lineup
Santiago Beltrán; Lucas Martínez Quarta, Nicolás Otamendi, Lautaro Rivero, Facundo González; Aníbal Moreno, Tobías Andrada, Fausto Vera; Thiago Almada; Ángel Correa and Rafael Santos Borré.
A Crucial Match for Recovery
River broke a streak of six consecutive defeats with the win over Argentinos Juniors, and now aims to make a statement in Bogotá to take control of the tie. The second leg will be played on August 26 at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires. The winner of this series will face São Paulo or Bolívar, who decide their series on Thursday.
For international viewers, the match will be broadcast on ESPN and Disney+ in Latin America.