In his most recent press conference, Gustavo Costas emphasized the significance of the three opponents Racing must face as the Liga Profesional resumes: Godoy Cruz, Sarmiento de Junín, and Unión de Santa Fe. The Racing coach recalled that these same teams had previously prevented the Avellaneda club from reaching the Copa de la Liga playoffs. Unforeseen defeats at home against these rivals led to their early elimination last semester.
Coming off a strong performance in their victory over Godoy Cruz the previous Saturday, the Racing team arrived at the Eva Perón Stadium with the aim of securing another win to temporarily rise to the top of the standings. However, the surprising attitude of some players allowed Israel Damonte’s team to take the lead thanks to Ezequiel Naya.
Although the visiting team had already posed a threat to Lucas Acosta, with Maravilla Martínez and Maxi Salas in action, Sarmiento managed to catch Racing off guard. A rebound caught Gabriel Arias unprepared, and by the time he reacted, it was too late.
In terms of line-ups, Sarmiento fielded Lucas Acosta; Facundo Roncaglia, Franco Paredes, Gastón Sauro, Juan Insaurralde, and Yair Arismendi; Emiliano Méndez, Manuel García, and Valentín Burgoa; along with Gabriel Gudiño and Ezequiel Naya. The team was coached by Israel Damonte. Racing, under Gustavo Costas, had Gabriel Arias; Nazareno Colombo, Santiago Sosa, Santiago Quirós; Gastón Martirena, Juan Nardoni, Agustín Almendra, and Gabriel Rojas; with Maximiliano Salas, Adrián Martínez, and Johan Carbonero.
The referee for the match was Fernando Rapallini, and it took place at the Eva Perón Stadium in Junín at 17:15, broadcasted live on ESPN Premium.
In another match, Defensa y Justicia carried their frustration from a recent draw against Boca into their game against Talleres in Córdoba. Despite outplaying Boca in their last match, the points were shared, much to their dismay. In the initial minutes, Defensive strategies led to Aaron Molinas testing a long-range shot that found the net against Talleres. The goalkeeper Guido Herrera’s poor response played a crucial role in the unfortunate goal.
In the second half, Walter Ribonetto smiled again, thanks to Alejandro Martínez, who scored with a powerful free kick that pinned into the bottom right corner of Cristopher Fiermarin’s goal. Initially intended as a cross, a defensive clearance fell back to Martínez, who quickly made it 1-1. This equalizer raised further concerns for Francisco Meneghini’s side, as they struggled to secure a full points haul, appearing to be in distress ahead of their Copa Libertadores match against River Plate.
As for line-ups, Defensa y Justicia featured Matías Mansilla; Eric Meza, Facundo Rodríguez, Federico Fernández, and Gastón Benedetti; with Santiago Ascacíbar and José Sosa; Tiago Palacios, Pablo Piatti, Edwuin Cetré, and Guido Carrillo under the management of Eduardo Domínguez. Talleres had their usual roster and were coached by a separate management team.
In yet another exciting match, the current league leaders, Huracán, had a chance to maintain their position at the top when they faced Estudiantes de La Plata at the Palacio Tomás Adolfo Ducó. The match was set to kick off at 19:30, with Silvio Trucco officiating and ESPN Premium covering the broadcast.
Frank Kudelka’s team started the season strong, currently holding 14 points after a 1-1 draw against San Lorenzo in a neighborhood derby. The team remains undefeated with four wins and two draws.
On the other side, Estudiantes has struggled to find their form after winning the Copa de la Liga, recently ending in a goalless draw against Unión de Santa Fe. They also faced elimination in the Copa Argentina against Central Córdoba.
Before the match started, expected line-ups were released. Huracán lined up with Hernán Galíndez; Lucas Souto, Fabio Pereyra, Juan Cruz Komar, and César Ibañez; Williams Alarcón, Rodrigo Echeverría, and Héctor Fértoli; while Walter Mazzantti, Sebastián Ramírez, and Rodrigo Cabral made up their attacking front. Estudiantes’ formation included Matías Mansilla; Eric Meza, Facundo Rodríguez, Federico Fernández, and Gastón Benedetti; Santiago Ascacíbar and José Sosa; Tiago Palacios, Pablo Piatti, Edwuin Cetré, and Guido Carrillo.
The game promised to be an exciting one, with fans eagerly awaiting the kickoff.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2024/07/24/racing-visita-a-sarmiento-con-chances-de-subir-a-la-punta-en-la-liga-profesional-hora-tv-y-formaciones/
