In a thrilling encounter on Friday, Vélez defeated San Martín SJ by a score of 2-1 in the 9th round of the Clausura. Manuel Lanzini opened the scoring just 9 minutes into the first half with a precise finish following a well-executed play. Following that, just after the start of the second half, Dilan Godoy extended Vélez’s lead by slotting the ball into the net for a 2-0 advantage.
However, San Martín SJ responded quickly, pulling a goal back 14 minutes into the second half through Ignacio Maestro Puch. A brilliant pass from Marco Iacobellis found the forward, who outjumped the defense to head the ball firmly into the bottom corner of the net, testing goalkeeper Álvaro Montero Perales.
Manuel Lanzini was undoubtedly the standout player of the match, scoring one goal and delivering 21 key passes, demonstrating his influence on the game. Ignacio Maestro Puch also shone in the match, not only scoring for San Martín SJ but also attempting five shots on target and completing 18 successful passes.
The match was overseen by referee Andrés Gariano at the Estadio 27 de Septiembre. San Martín SJ lined up in a 4-5-1 formation, with Matías Borgogno in goal, supported by defenders Ayrton Portillo, Rodrigo Cáseres, Luciano Recalde, and Lucas Diarte. The midfield featured Santiago Salle, Diego González, Sebastián Jaurena, Marco Iacobellis, and Sebastián González, with Ignacio Maestro Puch leading the attack.
On the other side, Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s Vélez opted for a 4-3-3 setup, featuring Álvaro Montero as the keeper; Isaías Andrada, Lisandro Magallán, Aarón Quirós, and Tomás Cavanagh in defense; with Tobías Andrada, Claudio Baeza, and Manuel Lanzini in midfield; while Matías Pellegrini, Dilan Godoy, and Imanol Machuca formed the forward line.
Looking ahead, San Martín SJ will face Platense in their next match, while Vélez is set to host Atlético Tucumán. The match saw several substitutions, with San Martín SJ making key changes in the second half to try and shift the momentum.
Substitutions for San Martín SJ
52’ 2T – Diego González off for Franco Toloza
68’ 2T – Ayrton Portillo off for Alejandro Molina; Marco Iacobellis off for Jonathan Menéndez; Imanol Machuca off for Francisco Pizzini
79’ 2T – Santiago Salle off for Tomás Fernández
80’ 2T – Sebastián González off for Juan Ignacio Cavallaro
Yellow Cards for San Martín SJ:
43’ 1T – Lucas Diarte (Unsporting behavior)
45’ 1T – Diego González (Unsporting behavior)
8’ 2T – Ayrton Portillo (Unsporting behavior)
15’ 2T – Rodrigo Cáseres (Unsporting behavior)
32’ 2T – Santiago Salle (Unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Vélez
44’ 1T – Tomás Cavanagh off for Thiago Silvero
69’ 2T – Manuel Lanzini off for Rodrigo Aliendro; Dilan Godoy off for Diego Valdés
76’ 2T – Isaías Andrada off for Leonel Roldán
Yellow Card for Vélez:
7’ 1T – Tomás Cavanagh (Unsporting behavior)
Red Card for Vélez:
52’ 2T – Aarón Quirós (Direct red card)