River Plate vs Godoy Cruz prediction, H2H and probable lineups — August 18, 2025
On August 18, 2025, the Argentine championship match between River Plate and Godoy Cruz will take place at the "Mâs Monumental" stadium in Buenos Aires.
Interesting facts and head-to-head history:
River Plate and Godoy Cruz first met in the Argentine top flight in 2006, when the Mendoza club made its debut in the elite division.
Over almost two decades, the teams have played more than 30 official matches. River holds the upper hand — about half of those games ended in their victory.
River's biggest win over Godoy Cruz was in March 2021 — a commanding 6-1 away triumph.
Godoy Cruz has rarely won in Buenos Aires — only a handful of times in the history of this rivalry.
Interestingly, Godoy Cruz was once one of the surprises of the league, battling River for a top spot in the 2010/11 season.
Match preview:
The hosts come into this clash in solid form—Marcelo Gallardo's side remains unbeaten at the start of the season and has managed to keep clean sheets in recent matches, drawing with Independiente and Libertad in the Copa Libertadores. Godoy Cruz, on the other hand, has had a shaky start: defeats to Gimnasia and Atlético Mineiro have seen the club slip into the bottom half of the table. The head-to-head record also favors River: in the last 30 games, they've claimed 16 wins, with 9 losses and 5 draws, and an average of around 2.5 goals per match. Their most recent encounter finished in a goalless draw, but River Plate is rightfully considered the favorite for the upcoming fixture, aiming for their first emphatic win of the new campaign in front of their home fans. Godoy Cruz, meanwhile, is likely to focus on a tight defensive setup and quick counterattacks, hoping to snatch at least a point.
Probable lineups:
- River Plate: Silva, Rojas, Viera, Florentin, Ramirez, Sanabria, Campuzano, Melgarejo, Franco, Fernandez, Aguilar.
- Godoy Cruz: Petroli, Arce, Mendoza, Rasmussen, Meli, Poggi, Altamira, Fernandez, Fernandez Pol, Andino, Ausmendi.
Prediction for River Plate vs Godoy Cruz:
After a strong start, River Plate has slightly lost momentum, resulting in two draws in their last three outings. Nevertheless, Marcelo Gallardo's men still command the top spot in the table, but any further slip-ups could quickly jeopardize their lead. This match against Godoy Cruz looks like the perfect opportunity for River to get back to winning ways. The Mendoza club is mired in a lengthy slump and hasn't tasted victory in seven straight matches. Given the difference in class and current form, my prediction is: River Plate to win (odds 1.48).
