Suspicious glances at Tevez. A 20-year-old newcomer gave Independiente a difficult and much-needed victory

Independent He passed an extremely difficult exam in a match during which he went through all possible emotional and football states. He 2 a 1 about Argentinos Juniors for the eighth date of the Professional League Cup can be explained in that although he was less than his rival in the game, it was more in strength of character and above all, in the areaswhich is where the matches are defined.

The test looked difficult from before the start. For Red, and especially for Carlos Tevezwhat was beginning to be viewed with suspicion. The defeat in the classic against Racing left its mark in the form of criticism, regarding the tactical approach and the individual and collective performance of the team. The attendance and the pyrotechnic display at the reception did not diminish, but the immediate demand became a song: “Today we have to win”anticipated that there was only one possible route to avoid turning support into whistles.

For the occasion, the technical director restarted the carousel of changes that he seemed to have abandoned recently; some, very surprising. For example, he left out the boy Alex Lunawho with his dribbles had been the only beacon of danger in front of the Academy, and the solvent Juan Manuel Fedorcoto give way to the doubtful Felipe Aguilar. On the other hand, he returned the position of left back to Ayrton Costa and recovered Lucas “Saltita” Gonzálezwhose absence had left a gap impossible to fill seven days ago.

Gastón Verón and Ayrton Costa reach the top in a dispute; The first scored the goal for Argentinos, and the second led to the temporary tie.THE NATION/Manuel Cortina

The modifications gave answers for all tastes. Aguilar made a few mistakes and cleared badly in the great goal by Gastón Verón who opened the account; Saltita was, by far, the best of his team, and also put together the play with which Costa led to the 1-1, helped by a crucial deflection in Tobias Palacio. Ignacio Maestro Puchthe other “new”, showed his mix of will and recklessness, which this time was enough for him to leave the field bathed in applause after scoring the winning goal and building an action with courage and dribbling, which ended with a cue to González and a shot that Roman Vega saved at the line.

Argentinos arrived in Avellaneda with much less pressure and played loosely from the start. Supported by a constant dynamic of their midfielders, the team led by Pablo Guede became unstoppable in the center of the field. The agility of a twenty-something midfielder, the ability to Alan Lescanothe setback of Verón and the projections of Vega (a very interesting lateral defender) were the pieces that La Paternal moved to establish a notable superiority in the fluidity of circulation and therefore, in the dominance of the game.

The visitor needed to transform his journey into a greater volume of arrivals, as well as define the ones he had. At 27 and 36 minutes, the legs of Rodrigo Rey They covered two “goals made” by Luciano Gondou y Emiliano Viveros. And he didn’t have fortune with the Bug either. The smile for Verón’s goal in the 28th minute lasted just three minutes. Saltita González broke in speed, the goalkeeper Diego Rodriguez He rejected the shot and Costa hit the rebound as it came. The ball was going wide, but deflected off Palacio and exploded into the net.

The second half was something else, very different. Someone took the match coin and threw it in the air, and it didn’t fall until the end. The carousel started at 4 minutes, when Gabriel Avalos He “invented” a penalty after feeling a touch from Palacio and continued his streak of backing the goal by throwing the ball over the crossbar.

What followed was a disorderly frenzy that raised adrenaline to superlative levels. Independiente felt the blow and for a long time seemed to be heading towards a new frustration. But once again, Argentinos lacked punchand added another weakness that he had hinted at in the initial half: the weak responses of his central defense to stop the shipments that crossed the area.

The local team, who moved around the field like those boxers who desperately look for the ropes to overcome a bad moment, instead of the gong found the saving goal. At 13, Federico Mancuello He dispatched a cross from the left, Ávalos won once again in the melee and brought the ball down, and Maestro Puch found it available for 2-1.

Compact Independent 2 vs. Argentinos Juniors 1

Argentines would not give up in pursuit of equality. Verón (again a King’s leg), Palacio and Gondou had it on hand. Tevez assembled a line of 5 defenders to sustain the victory and almost extended it, but Luna and Fedorco, finally entered, missed chances that cannot be explained.

Rojo passed the test, Tevez breathed a sigh of relief. He shook off the sneer of the classic Independiente, showed character and was helped by luck in critical moments. He climbed to the top of the table again and his people celebrated in a night full of ups and downs and emotions.

Rodolfo Chisleanschi

Themes

Argentinos JuniorsIndependienteLeague Cup 2024Independiente World

Other news from League Cup 2024

People in need. What time does Boca Juniors vs. Belgrano, for the 2024 Professional League Cup

Sunday TV. Boca, San Lorenzo, City vs. United, Báez’s final in Chile and the definition of the Argentina Golf Open

“We can not…”. River’s deceptive undefeated: he draws more than he wins and again he did not know how to handle a result