race He achieved a rating worthy of a Costa tournament: with suffering, with a lot of self-love, with moments of drama and with an explosion that left the audience raving who stayed until after midnight in Cilindro de Avellaneda to reach the semi-finals of the Costa tournament. closing. Boca, in La Bombonera, will be the next big target for the academy, which Facundo Cambeses was as championwho saved two penalty kicks from Thomas Cardona and Joaquín Laso in the 4-2 match after a goalless draw in 120 minutes.
The race came out determined to strike the first blow from the start, but most of its progress remained hints of greater or less substance. Santiago Solari and Duvan Vergara, who were included in Tomas Konecny’s starting line-up, were trying to equalize to find… Adrian Martinezwhose performance will be key to understanding the development of the match that determined Boca’s opponent in the semifinals.
With control of the ground and control of the ball, it was difficult for the Academy to find the pass that would break down the order of those led by Diego Dabov, whose plan was to reduce the lines, cut down their field and launch a counter-attack, with David Romero and Ignacio Rosso crouching to achieve this goal. A curling pass from Romero outside the box that ended in a lofted shot, plus an attempted pass to Rousseau that was blocked by Agustín Garcia Basso, were part of the visitors’ few excursions into the Albiceleste.
After a first half in which Gustavo Costas’ side had difficulty reversing their leadership role on certain occasions, the second half went from low to high in theatrics of risk, tension and drama. Maravilla Martinez, synonymous with goals throughout the entire successful tournament under Gustavo Costas, could have been Your hardest night Since he wore the light blue and white shirt.
In the context of his worst winless run at the academy, since his last goal was on September 16 of this year (scored against Velez to win 1-0 in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores), the prophet of the goal wasted situations as clear as they were incredible: one-on-one (Felipe Zenobio prevented such an action in the 37th minute of the second half), and in various follow-ups in the mouth of the Matador goal, such as and was unable to find the net in the second and extra halves.
With one minute to go in the 90th minute, Maravilla collapsed, completely frustrated: Zenobio pounced after a powerful shot from Gaston Martina; Academy No. 9 was alone in the six-yard area, but his attempt to score with the goalkeeper on the ground ended with the ball passing over the crossbar. Immediately, fans from all sides sang with all their might. “Wonder, wonder!/Wonder, wonder, wonder!”.
When he needed it most, the idol who had already amassed 50 conquests in the Avellaneda club received a show of full support from the crowd. In the final 90 minutes, he was trying to lead a promising counter-attack and was brought down by a disqualified kick from Ramon Arias, who was logically sent off.
At the beginning of the extra period, even all the enthusiasm of the crowd was not able to put an end to the bad night of the scorer, who jumped after a cross from Santiago Solari and was millimeters away from breaking the long series of matches without scoring a goal.
Since September 16 with a goal against Liniers, Maravilla spent a rematch in the cup with Velez (90 minutes); Elimination in the Argentine Cup against River (89 minutes and expulsion); Both matches from the Libertadores series with Flamengo (177th in total); In addition to the final matches against Independiente (90), Aldosivi (19), Defensa e Justicia (88), Newell’s (90) and River (90). To this statistic are added the 120 minutes he played against Tigre in Avellaneda. In total, 890 minutes with the bracket closed.
Just as Racing pressed during the second half and also in the extra 30 minutes of extra time, even with the ups and downs meant by the expulsions of Gastón Martina (in the first extra time) and Santiago Sosa (in the second), Tigre found spaces and forgave Gustavo Costas’ men: Ignacio Rosso made at least three good plays, but failed even under the goal in the six-yard box.
Cambyses, champion of the race
Goalless attacks, exhausted players and refereeing disputes also added to the equation of a match that once again witnessed drama in Cilindro de Avellaneda: Andres Merloswhose standards for punishing simple fouls are usually wrong, was in the eye of the storm in extra time due to an apparent impact from Zenobio on Tomas Konecny. However, both the on-field referee and the VAR referee (Pablo Duvalo) did not see there being a penalty kick for Racing.
Best of the match
“Cheki Tapia, button/Cheki Tapia, button/You son of a bitch…, the bitch…that gave birth to you!”The fans exploded against the president of the Argentine Football Association, angry at the decisions of Merlos, who declared the end of the 120 goalless and led to a penalty shootout, of which Campesis was the hero. On the night that Gabriel Arias walked out to Cilindro for the last time as a Racing player, the change of leadership was ratified by the saves of the former Banfield, a pillar of this Racing who had transformed: from deadly in the opponent’s box, to almost invincible at the hands of the team’s goalkeeper.