River are becoming a different team under Ponzio, gaining confidence and climbing the Clausura table

River are beginning to look like a different team under Leonardo Ponzio. The 3-1 victory over a strong Independiente Rivadavia side brought a second straight win, renewed confidence and a climb in both the Clausura and annual standings.

The recovery remains incomplete. River started the Clausura with four consecutive defeats and still have not entered the top eight that qualify for the playoffs. But the team has begun to build momentum, moving closer to positions that better reflect the quality of its squad. In the annual table, River are now just two points behind Boca, one of the unavoidable benchmarks for the club.

The victory carried added weight because River had recently offered few guarantees against any opponent. As against Banfield, they scored three goals and produced several standout individual performances. They took a two-goal lead in both matches, although the margin against Banfield fell to one, giving them some protection from the late scares that have become a recurring problem.

River made an excellent start to the second half, combining quickly and creating a series of chances. Tomás Galván made it 2-0 by converting after goalkeeper Bolcato parried a shot from Almada, but River's loss of focus and Independiente Rivadavia's refusal to leave the contest allowed Arce to pull one back with a header. Substitute Luis Díaz and Sequeira then gave the visitors greater attacking power, and Sequeira's shot struck the crossbar with the score at 2-1.

Those moments revived memories of River's recent collapses, particularly in the final 15 minutes. Yet the team responded before the danger became irreversible. Lucas Beltrán energized the attack, Almada and Correa again showed their quality, and Galván's outstanding second goal, a shot into the corner from outside the area, restored breathing room. It also reflected a River side playing with a looser, more confident mood.