In the Copa Libertadores matchup between CA River Plate BA and Sporting Cristal on 20 April 2023, CA River Plate BA demonstrated superiority by securing a robust 4-2 victory at home. The heated encounter was filled with thrilling moments, different tactics, and noteworthy statistics that discernibly swung the result in favor of the home team.

Examining the match data reveals that the home team capitalized on the opportunities they created throughout the game. The offensive onslaught saw CA River Plate BA net four crucial goals — two in each half. Their timing of goals was also instrumental, with their 2nd and 3rd goals coming at 17:57 and 35:35 during the first half. The early attacks comparatively shifted the game's dynamics and kept them in a position of advantage despite the away team's aggressive start.

Moreover, one feature of this match that notably played into the hands of CA River Plate BA was their superior performance from set pieces. Evidence for this lies in the corner kick statistics, where CA River Plate secured five as compared to the solitary one for Sporting Cristal. Surefooted execution from these set plays ultimately provided the home team with significant offensive opportunities throughout the match-up.

Despite playing away, Sporting Cristal was able to initiate an early lead within 6 minutes. However, their inability to hold onto the lead and fend off CA River Plate BA displays an evident defensive weakness.

Turning to the discipline aspect of the match, it is clear that the robust and arguably physical nature of the encounter had an impact. The away team players were booked thrice, with two of the yellow cards coming in the second half. This reduction in player numbers and the loss of key personnel potentially disrupted their gameplay and strategy. Moreover, accumulating fouls from both teams indicate a strenuous and competitive match, with the away team committing 18 fouls compared to the home team's 17. Notably, CA River Plate BA was handed a red card, suggesting that they had to persist with a man less for a portion of the game.

Surprisingly, CA River Plate BA’s discipline or lack thereof didn’t have as much bearing on the final score, indicating the effective tactical maneuvers deployed in spite of their numeric disadvantage on field. Overall, CA River Plate BA prevailed due to a combination of their effective offensive play, efficient utilization of set-pieces, and tactical resilience and adaptation despite having fewer players on the field post the red card incident. On the other hand, Sporting Cristal could improve on their defensive acumen, discipline, and efficiency from set-pieces.

In conclusion, asking which factor was the match decider feels like a misnomer. Instead, it was a constellation of interconnected components that drove the match towards a convincing 4-2 victory for CA River Plate BA. Graphic and numerical data give the facts, but the real tale was told on the pitch. For the bettors, the unexpected red card was an ‘X, factor creating a unique dynamics which sees CA River Plate still managed to secure a victory even with one man down.

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