In a closely fought encounter on date 6 at Tierra de Campeones, Estudiantes edged past Sarmiento with a narrow 1-0 victory. The decisive moment came when Alexis Castro broke the deadlock just five minutes into the second half.
Castro’s goal was the result of an impressive solo effort from the left side, where he unleashed a powerful shot from inside the area that found its way to the back of the net.
Late in the game, at the 46-minute mark of the second half, Santiago Salle had an excellent chance to equalize but was left frustrated as his shot hit the post, silencing the visiting fans.
Alexis Castro’s performance earned him the accolade of ‘Man of the Match’ as he not only scored the solitary goal but also attempted two other significant shots towards goal.
Defensively, Eric Meza was instrumental for Estudiantes, clearing three dangerous balls and providing a solid backline presence. In a standout moment during the first half, Gastón Benedetti displayed his skill by leaving Sarmiento’s Juan Manuel Cabrera stunned with a brilliant nutmeg.
Manager Eduardo Domínguez deployed a 4-5-1 formation for Estudiantes, featuring goalkeeper Fernando Muslera; defenders Eric Meza, Leandro González Pirez, Tomás Palacios, and Gastón Benedetti; a midfield comprising Lucas Piovi, Alexis Castro, Fabricio Pérez, José Sosa, and Joaquín Tobio Burgos; and Guido Carrillo upfront.
On the opposing side, Sarmiento’s coach Facundo Sava opted for a 4-4-2 setup, with Javier Burrai in goal, and defenders Juan Manuel Cabrera, Renzo Orihuela, Juan Manuel Insaurralde, and Lucas Suárez; a midfield featuring Julián Contrera, Cristian Zabala, Carlos Villalba, and Santiago Salle; along with strikers Junior Marabel and Diego Churín.
The match was officiated by referee Andrés Merlos.
Looking ahead, Estudiantes will face Newell’s in their next outing, while Sarmiento will host Unión.
Substitutions for Estudiantes
31’ 1T – José Sosa off for Tiago Palacios
67’ 2T – Joaquín Tobio Burgos off for Mikel Amondarain and Eric Meza off for Eros Mancuso
74’ 2T – Alexis Castro off for Brian Aguirre
75’ 2T – Fabricio Pérez off for Edwuin Cetré
Yellow Cards for Estudiantes
4’ 1T – Leandro González Pirez (Unsporting conduct)
9’ 2T – Tomás Palacios (Arguing with an opponent)
40’ 2T – Lucas Piovi (Unsporting conduct)
42’ 2T – Fernando Muslera (Insulting or disapproving the referee)
Substitutions for Sarmiento
36’ 1T – Lucas Suárez off for Yair Arismendi
68’ 2T – Carlos Villalba off for Mauricio Martínez and Diego Churín off for Jhon Renteria
81’ 2T – Cristian Zabala off for Jonatan Gómez
82’ 2T – Santiago Salle off for Brandon Márquez
Yellow Cards for Sarmiento
23’ 1T – Carlos Villalba (Unsporting conduct)
10’ 2T – Cristian Zabala (Arguing with an opponent)
34’ 2T – Javier Burrai (Insulting or disapproving the referee)
47’ 2T – Yair Arismendi (Unsporting conduct)