River Plate play midfielder Enzo Perez in goal but still beat Independiente Santa Fe

River Plate had to play midfielder Enzo Perez in goal because of a coronavirus outbreak but still beat Independiente Santa Fe 2-1 in the Copa Libertadores.

The Argentine side had 20 players test positive for Covid-19 and, along with injuries, went into the Group D game in Buenos Aires with just 11 players.

Four River Plate keepers were impacted and a request to register their fifth and sixth keepers was rejected.

Perez, 35, was chosen to play in goal and helped his side to victory.

In the South American equivalent of the Champions League, Fabrizio Angileri and Julian Alvarez put River Plate 2-0 up against the Colombian side.

Perez, who started for Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, said he used “the penalty spot as reference” after seeking advice about playing in goal as he tried to “focus and help the team”.

He was beaten by a Kelvin Osorio effort late in the game but River Plate held on for a win which put them top of their group.

Agencies