In a thrilling contest that culminated in penalties, Racing Club managed to overcome Tigre and secure their place in the semifinals of the Clausura tournament. The match, held at Estadio El Cilindro, ended in a stalemate with a score of 0-0 after 90 minutes of intense action.
The decisive penalty shootout saw Tomás Cardona and Joaquín Laso of Tigre miss their attempts, handing the victory to the Academia. Meanwhile, Adrián Martínez, Adrián Fernández, Gabriel Rojas, and Agustín García Basso converted their penalties successfully for Racing Club.
Despite the match finishing goalless, Racing Club exhibited dominance throughout, enjoying 68% possession and attempting a remarkable 25 shots on goal. However, they struggled to find the back of the net within regular time.
Agustín García Basso emerged as the standout performer for Racing, making crucial defensive plays, including clearing four balls from dangerous areas. Tigre’s Joaquín Laso also shone defensively, managing to intercept three balls and clear eleven from hazardous zones.
Coach Gustavo Costas selected a 4-3-3 formation for Racing Club, featuring Facundo Cambeses in goal, supported by Gastón Martirena, Nazareno Colombo, Agustín García Basso, and Gabriel Rojas in defense. The midfield trio consisted of Juan Ignacio Nardoni, Santiago Sosa, and Agustín Almendra, while Santiago Solari, Adrián Martínez, and Duván Vergara led the attack.
On the other hand, Tigre, managed by Diego Dabove, opted for a 4-4-2 strategy, with Felipe Zenobio guarding the net, flanked by Ramón Arias, Joaquín Laso, Tomás Cardona, and Federico Álvarez in defense. The midfield featured Jabes Saralegui, Gonzalo Piñeiro, Julián López, and Sebastián Medina, with Ignacio Russo and David Romero spearheading the forward line.
Referee Andrés Merlos officiated the match, which proved to be a tough challenge for Racing Club, but their perseverance in the penalty shootout earned them a spot in the semifinals, scheduled to commence on December 7.
Substitutions for Racing Club
118’ A2 – Santiago Solari was replaced by Marco Di Césare
121’ A2 – Tomás Conechny came off for Franco Pardo
71’ 2T – Agustín Almendra exited for Adrián Fernández
80’ 2T – Juan Ignacio Nardoni was substituted by Tomás Conechny
Yellow Cards for Racing Club:
34’ 1T – Santiago Sosa (Unsporting behavior), 21’ 2T – Gastón Martirena (Holding an opponent to stop progress), 38’ 2T – Agustín García Basso (Unsporting behavior)
Red Cards for Racing Club:
9’ A1 – Gastón Martirena (Second yellow), 11’ A2 – Santiago Sosa (Second yellow)
Substitutions for Tigre
105’ A1 – Ignacio Russo was substituted by Alfio Oviedo, Nazareno Colombo for Facundo Mura, and Duván Vergara for Adrián Balboa
32’ 1T – Federico Álvarez was replaced by Diego Sosa
54’ 2T – David Romero exited for Braian Martínez
62’ 2T – Jabes Saralegui and Gonzalo Piñeiro were substituted by Jalil Elías and Guillermo Soto respectively
63’ 2T – Sebastián Medina was replaced by Simón Rivero
Yellow Cards for Tigre:
1’ 1T – Tomás Cardona (Unsporting behavior), 35’ 1T – Sebastián Medina (Unsporting behavior), 29’ 2T – Julián López (Holding an opponent to stop progress), 11’ A1 – Braian Martínez (Unsporting behavior)
Red Card for Tigre:
50’ 2T – Ramón Arias (Direct red)