Controversy erupts as River Plate denied penalty against Barracas Central

River Plate's match against Barracas Central was marred by controversy in the first half when the Monumental stadium erupted in calls for a penalty, which referee Nazareno Arasa ultimately denied.

The contentious moment occurred in added time when 18-year-old River player Lautaro Pereyra received a pass on the left, entered the box, and attempted to dribble past Barracas' Rafael Barrios. Barrios made contact, and Pereyra fell to the ground. Initially, it appeared to be a clear penalty, especially given the VAR review available to officials, led by Pablo Echavarría.

However, upon reviewing the replays, it became evident that Pereyra may have exaggerated the fall. Despite the potential simulation, the initial push from Barrios did occur. This decision incensed the River Plate supporters, who also directed their anger towards AFA President Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia with chants accusing him of favoring Boca Juniors.

Barracas Central had taken a 1-0 lead earlier in the match through Gonzalo Morales, a former Boca Juniors player, who celebrated with the "Topo Gigio" gesture towards the crowd. The missed penalty call added to River Plate's frustrations during a first half where they struggled to break down Barracas' defense.