Independent he did his duty. After a bad streak that today has him out of those partially classified for the quarterfinals of the League Cup, he made his debut in the Argentine Cup before a Deportivo Laferrere which was intended to increase his bad mood, at the Lanús stadium. The 3-0 (due to goals from Alex Luna and penalties from Federico Mancuello and Jhonny Quiñónez) is a relief for Carlos Tevez and his days full of indignation.
The afternoon at the Fortaleza presented something more than an exam with the obligation to be approved by Independiente. His rival plays in the B Metropolitana, but the pressure was not only due to the two categories of difference. Tevez’s team, which made so much noise in recent days due to referee rulings against it, had to carry out an uncomfortable match, with recent results that made it lose strength.
Independiente had no grays in what the debut in the most federal tournament in the country meant. Because it was urgent for him to leave with a positive result the time and anger that he dedicated, to a large extent, to Pablo Dóvalo and his scandalous arbitration in the tie against Central Tents and, to a lesser extent, to the controversial play with which judge Nazareno Arasa also denied them a penalty in parity with River. An accumulation of helplessness that kept him from competitiveness: the last unexpected fall against Deportivo Riestra (0-1) took him out of the quartet that would qualify for the quarterfinals of the tournament. He is running from behind and cannot fail in the last three dates.
So, clearing your mind, focusing on football again and taking a breath and confidence were the priority this Friday when facing an opponent with many fewer tools: elimination could be the final blow and the chaos inside could be greater. generate, even, that “The Night of the King”the party dedicated to the 120 years of the club, will not be fully enjoyed this Saturday at the Ricardo Bochini stadium.
Respite. It cost, it’s true. It took 40 minutes to find the network of the “Green” team. He had plenty of situations throughout the match, including control of the ball. Even Hernán Mastrángelo could have awarded him one more penalty than the two he was awarded in the second half: there were three or four (or more) grabs in which the referee chose to let them continue.
The duel was very great for the La Matanza team. It could cause some substitutes In the stretch that lasted the goalless tie: Gaspar Iñíguez, that central midfielder who emerged in Argentinos in the last decade, finished from mid-distance twice, with danger. Little more for the promotion team.
While Rodrigo Rey was almost a spectator, Carlos Morel was the figure among those directed by Guillermo Szeszurak. Shortcuts here and there. Gabriel Ávalos maintains his goalless days, even on an accessible afternoon: finishing from a position or with a powerful header, Laferrere’s goalkeeper always appeared. Until he couldn’t do anything against the figure of the match: from the door of the area, Luna crossed the ball low and strong to the goal.
Independent got loose. He came out to play the calmest complement. And he played it permanently on someone else’s territory. He logically wore down his rival, who was left with ten men after 16 minutes due to the double warning that Fernando Ortiz earned by grabbing Mancuello when he was about to define in the six-yard box. The left-hander changed the penalty into a goal when crossing his definition. Mastrángelo could even have expelled some more Laferrere players.
Luna unbalanced the 90 minutes and even participated in that play that ended in the penalty spot, but the orchestra did not depend only on him: the young Javier Ruiz was at his level, with pure dribbling, vertigo, speed and head raised. Although it could have been bigger, it ended up being beaten by the penalty committed against Ignacio Maestro Puch and Quiñónez scored, at 31: the group wanted the Ecuadorian to score his first goal in Independiente and they celebrated it effusively.
Independiente reunited with confidence and tranquility. He will have to support it when the tournament resumes and must face Atlético Tucumán with a clearer head.