BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -River Plate's turbulent season came to a dramatic conclusion on Monday when Racing Club scored a stoppage-time winner to earn a 3-2 victory in the Torneo Clausura Round of 16, eliminating Marcelo Gallardo's side from the competition.
Racing took an early lead in the fourth minute when Santiago Solari headed in Gabriel Rojas' pinpoint cross. The home side dominated much of the first half but failed to add to their advantage, with River goalkeeper Franco Armani superbly denying a powerful free kick from Agustin Almendra.
River fought back after the break, levelling in the 62nd minute through Ian Subiabre, who converted with a sharp left-footed strike after a pass from Sebastian Driussi. Just two minutes later, Juan Fernando Quintero gave River the lead with a superb long-range effort.
However, Racing equalised in the 73rd minute through an own goal by Lucas Martinez Quarta, who deflected a shot by Adrian Fernandez into his own net.
The tension continued into stoppage time, when Gaston Martirena seized a loose rebound and fired in the winner, securing Racing's place in the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of Wednesday's match between Lanus and Tigre.
"Football is like this, it's complicated and it's challenging, but I'm happy for myself and my teammates. Whether we play well or badly, we always have a chance. Today it was my turn," Martirena said.
The defeat marked the end of an erratic campaign for River, whose sixth-place finish in Group B of the regular season was followed by a miserable run of eight matches without a win.
River also suffered high-profile eliminations at the hands of Independiente in the Copa Argentina semi-finals and Palmeiras in the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals, while a Superclasico loss to Boca Juniors earlier this month further compounded their woes.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
