Just a brilliant story MAKING RIVER PLAY PEREZ IN GOAL WAS A FARCE... BUT A WONDERFUL ONE Enzo Perez could not keep a clean sheet for River Plate against Independiente Santa Fe of Colombia in the Copa Libertadores on Wednesday. He let in a scrambled shot from Kelvin Osorio in the 73rd minute, but it didn't matter because the Argentine club won 2-1. And Perez is a midfielder. Such a good one, in fact, that he made 26 appearances for Argentina — including a start in the 2014 World Cup final. Benfica coach Jorge Jesus referred to him as the 'brain' of the team that won back-to-back Portuguese league titles. But Perez is 35 now, and would have missed this week's match because of a muscle injury. So when coronavirus swept through the River Plate squad affecting 20 players including all four registered goalkeepers — and CONMEBOL, South America's federation, refused to let the club promote from its youth ranks — Perez became a battlefield promotion between the posts. River Plate fielded a starting XI and no substitutes. please log in to view this image Midfielder Enzo Perez played in goal for River Plate against Independiente Santa Fe The footage shows, quite plainly, a man who has never performed in goal before. There are some outfield players who obviously enjoy a turn in training. If their moment comes in a proper match, they make saves, they want to show it off. That is not Perez. When he stops a ball, no matter how slowly it is travelling, he clutches it tightly to his chest and falls on it for extra protection. He pats away a high, miscued clearance for a corner, rather than try to catch it. He concedes another corner diving to save a shot that was already two feet outside the near post. Bouncing the ball to waste time — everything he does is at walking pace, because River Plate went 2-0 up very early — it rears up quicker than he expects and hits him on the chin. And when he saves a mild long-range shot it is in the style of the schoolboy custodian, hands, knees, body, everything behind the ball, just in case. Yet, rightly, he received the adulation of his team-mates at the end, and an award that translates as Best of the Match. With one game to play, River Plate top their group. It is ridiculous that CONMEBOL allowed this to happen, but at the same time wonderful it did.
