On Thursday, the Halcón triumphed over Dep. Riestra with a 1-0 victory during matchday 2 of the Apertura tournament. Rubén Botta secured the only goal of the match in the 28th minute of the first half, leading Defensa y Justicia to earn all three points.
Rubén Botta was instrumental in the match, earning the ‘Man of the Match’ title by scoring the decisive goal. Cristopher Fiermarín, the goalkeeper for Defensa y Justicia, made significant contributions by saving three shots, showcasing an impressive performance at Estadio Guillermo Laza.
Gustavo Benítez, the head coach of Dep. Riestra, set his team up in a 5-3-2 formation with Ignacio Arce guarding the net. His defense included Nicolás Sansotre, Facundo Miño, Cristian Paz, Miguel Ángel Barbieri, and Pedro Ramírez. The midfield featured Jonatan Goitía, Pablo Monje, and Antony Alonso, while Alexander Díaz and Jonathan Herrera made up the forward line.
In contrast, Defensa y Justicia, under the guidance of Mariano Soso, utilized a 4-4-2 formation. The defensive line comprised Cristopher Fiermarín in goal, along with Lucas Souto, Emiliano Amor, David Martínez, and Samuel Lucero. The midfield was stacked with Ayrton Portillo, Santiago Sosa Yung, Aarón Molinas, and Rubén Botta, while Abiel Osorio and Juan Bautista Miritello led the attack.
The match, officiated by Hernán Mastrángelo, saw a series of substitutions in both teams. For Dep. Riestra, changes included Gabriel Obredor replacing Pedro Ramírez and Rodrigo Gallo coming in for Miguel Ángel Barbieri at halftime. Later substitutions featured Nicolás Benegas and Rodrigo Sayavedra for Alexander Díaz and Nicolás Sansotre, respectively. Finally, Facundo Miño was replaced by Leonardo Landriel in the 77th minute.
Defensa y Justicia also made several changes, with Mateo Aguiar replacing Juan Bautista Miritello early in the first half. In the later stages, Rubén Botta and Mateo Aguiar were substituted for Juan Manuel Gutiérrez and Julián López, respectively, and Abiel Osorio made way for Nazareno Roselli.
Throughout the match, there were a number of yellow cards issued to players from both sides. Facundo Miño, Pablo Monje, Miguel Ángel Barbieri, Ignacio Arce, and Jonatan Goitía all received bookings for various infractions for Dep. Riestra, while Mateo Aguiar, David Martínez, and Juan Manuel Gutiérrez were cautioned for Defensa y Justicia.
Looking ahead, Dep. Riestra will face Barracas Central in their next fixture, while Defensa y Justicia will host Estudiantes.