04/08/2024 14:32hs. Updated on 04/08/2024 17:44hs.
The match between Sarmiento and Belgrano was a clear example of what Argentine football is all about. The beginning excited many with the prospect of an entertaining back-and-forth game, something that lasted barely a breath of 15 minutes. After a start with chances for both sides, the match flattened out and the quality of football seen in those initial minutes diminished. Since then, the match was a decline, a game that was discussed more than played, coupled with a significant lack of creativity from both teams. Sarmiento had no greater plans than to send crosses to Ezequiel Naya, while those from Juan Cruz Real tried to rely on the talent of Matías Suárez, who also didn’t have his ideal afternoon, aside from a free kick that was very well saved by Lucas Acosta.
Belgrano and Sarmiento drew in Junín
And the second half developed along the same lines. Both coaches sought to inject pace into a match that never gave the impression of tipping the balance on the scoreboard. Although both had their chance to put it at 1-0, Lucas Acosta blocked a shot that was heading to the right corner of his goal, while the Verde had the victory in the feet of Gabriel Hauche, who made his debut with the Junín team.
Certainly, the match in Junín could be analyzed based on the quality and style of play of each team. While Sarmiento played in a very similar way to what they often do, it was Belgrano who came up short after the match against the team of Israel Damonte, a team much more accustomed to grinding out matches and finishing them with extreme efficiency, as they did against Racing. And it is the Pirata who feels they wasted two points that could have brought them closer to the top, although there is also a reason behind the poor performance of Real’s team: the absences.
Uvita Fernández, Bryan Reyna, and Santiago Longo were absent due to various injuries, and that is perhaps the cause of a very poor match from Real’s team. One point that is useful in Junín and two that the Pirata let slip away.
Sarmiento and Belgrano drew in Junín. (Press Sarmiento)