Tigre left the Fortín stadium with disappointment after falling short against Vélez, who emerged victorious with a narrow 2-1 win in the first week of the Clausura tournament.
The match kicked off with an electrifying atmosphere, and it was Tomás Galván who struck first for Vélez in the 45th minute following a well-orchestrated play. Just minutes into the second half, at the 49th minute, Imanol Machuca extended the lead to 2-0 by capitalizing on a powerful shot. Tigre, determined to claw back into the game, finally found the net through a penalty by Diego Sosa at the 40th minute of the second half. However, the remaining time was insufficient for a full comeback.
Imanol Machuca undoubtedly stood out as the star of the match. His performance included a goal, 19 successful passes, and two attempts on goal. Equally impressive was Tomás Galván, who not only found the back of the net but also completed 15 passes and made three critical interceptions.
Moments of flair were provided by Tigre’s Elías Cabrera, who skillfully dribbled past Vélez defender Jano Gordón with a nutmeg in the 19th minute of the first half.
Vélez’s head coach, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, set up his team in a 4-5-1 formation, featuring Tomás Marchiori in goal, supported by a defensive line including Jano Gordón, Emanuel Mammana, Lisandro Magallán, and Elías Gómez. The midfield comprised Claudio Baeza, Agustín Bouzat, Maher Carrizo, Tomás Galván, and Imanol Machuca, with Braian Romero leading the attack.
On the other side, Tigre, managed by Diego Dabove, opted for a similar 4-5-1 setup with Felipe Zenobio guarding the net; Martín Ortega, Joaquín Laso, Ramón Arias, and Diego Sosa formed the defensive unit. Sebastián Medina, Santiago González, Gonzalo Piñeiro, Héctor Fértoli, and Elías Cabrera made up the midfield, while Ignacio Russo was the lone striker.
The referee for the match, Sebastián Martínez, had a busy evening, issuing a direct red card to Vélez coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto in the 27th minute, and later a direct red to Tigre’s Ramón Arias in the 34th minute of the second half.
Looking ahead, Vélez will face Platense in their next match while Tigre prepares to host Argentinos Juniors at home.
Substitutions for Vélez
63’ 2T – Imanol Machuca was substituted for Francisco Pizzini, and Tomás Galván made way for Tobías Andrada.
81’ 2T – Agustín Bouzat was replaced by Leonel Roldán.
Yellow Cards for Vélez:
38’ 2T – Tomás Marchiori (Unsporting Behavior) and 45’ 2T – Elías Gómez (Unsporting Behavior)
Red Card for Vélez:
27’ 1T – Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Direct Red)
Substitutions for Tigre
67’ 2T – Gonzalo Piñeiro was substituted for Bruno Leyes, Héctor Fértoli for Braian Martínez, and Sebastián Medina for Jabes Saralegui.
80’ 2T – Elías Cabrera came off for Blas Armoa, and Ignacio Russo was replaced by Tomás Cardona.
Red Card for Tigre:
34’ 2T – Ramón Arias (Direct Red)