Driussi scores on his return as River beats Santa Fe in Copa Sudamericana round of 16

Driussi had barely touched the ball against Velez the previous week, fresh off his medical clearance. Not even Chacho Coudet himself could be entirely sure how much he'd get out of him in a match of this magnitude. The answer came quickly: a goal that opened the scoring in the second leg of the round of 16 of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana against Independiente Santa Fe, at the Monumental.

The forward had put together an intense first half, moving well across the front line and creating three clear chances before finally converting. The play that led to the 1-0 started with a sharp combination from Angel Correa, who switched the ball to the right to find Gonzalo Montiel. The fullback whipped in a low, hard cross, the kind meant for a first-time finish, and Driussi arrived at the back post to stretch out and tap it in with the goalkeeper already beaten.

Coudet's decision to start him after so little playing time was no accident: he bet heavily on the forward's class in a knockout tie, and the goal proved him right almost immediately. Just minutes after scoring, Driussi himself was subbed off for Rafael Santos Borre, in what looked more like a precautionary move than a tactical necessity, understandable given that he's still building up his fitness after the layoff.

A comeback with a goal to match

The goal carries extra weight given the context: Driussi hadn't been a starter since the injury that sidelined him, and his only recent appearance in the league was that brief cameo against Velez in the Torneo Clausura. Returning to the starting lineup in a Sudamericana round of 16 and scoring in the first half is exactly the kind of response every coach hopes for when taking a chance on a player just coming back from injury.

For River, the goal at the Monumental represents a significant edge heading into the decisive leg of the tie against Independiente Santa Fe, with home advantage in hand and with Driussi showing that, regardless of the minutes he's logged, he remains a decisive presence when the match calls for it.