Ariel Ortega has always been a pesky fellow and he raises hackles wherever he goes or whomever he plays. Just ask Van Der Saar or the coaches for the number of clubs he has interred in. But he is one of the smartest dribblers of the ball and his short tireless frame keeps going. As long as he does that he can keep River going even as the club struggles with its self confidence. They have had a disappointing Clausura so far and their Copa Libertadores outings started shockingly with a loss to newbies Universidad San Martín in Lima.
Today’s match against America was huge. Ortega’s last gasp goal gave River a 2-1 win after the America defenders made a sloppy mess of a run of the mill clearance. The attacking midfielder says he is coming back to form. River’s Fernando Belluschi has left for Olympiakos and in his absence Ortega and ex- Udinese striker Alexis Sanchez have a monumental task ahead of them.