With the World Cup in Qatar just around the corner, Argentine football has no respite and this Tuesday will start a new date (the 14th) of the Professional League with several interesting matches, highlighting the one that will encourage Independiente and Hurricane in Avellaneda (from 9:30 p.m. on TNT Sports). Previously, San Lorenzo and all your problems will be measured with the good present of Platense (at 7 pm on ESPN Premium)while two games will open the day: Sarmiento-Godoy Cruza “final” for permanence (at 4:30 p.m. on TNT Sports), and Central Córdoba-Colón (at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN Premium).
Independent vs Hurricane
Julio César Falcioni’s team comes from rescuing a point of agony from his visit to Lanús, the only one he added since the arrival of the Emperor to the technical direction (he debuted with a defeat against River). El Rojo is 25th in the League with just 12 points, has lost six of its last nine games and, far from qualifying for the next South American (it is also 25th in the annual table), is already beginning to look with concern at the table of averages for next season: discounting the two teams that are descending so far and taking into account the possibility that next year there will be four that will lose the category, Independiente is only 14 points above the last one to fall to Second Division. The main red novelty will be the return of Iván Marcone to midfield, instead of the skillful youthful Tomás Pozzo.
On the other hand, Huracán lives a great moment at the hands of Diego Dabove and the notable performances of midfielder Franco Cristaldo, among others. El Globo comes from beating Sarmiento de Junín 4-1 at home with a dose of very good football and is encouraged to fight for the title: it is third with 23 points, five behind the leader Atlético Tucumán. Of course, it will not be easy for him to leave the Libertadores de América happy: Hurricane accumulates eight straight defeats as a visitor to Independiente. The last joy of the Parque Patricios club in the red half of Avellaneda was 20 years ago, when the team then led by Miguel Ángel Brindisi thrashed Américo Rubén Gallego’s team 4-0 with goals from Rolfi Montenegro (2), Lucho González and Fernando Moner. Independiente finished last in that Clausura 2002 -the first time in its history that it finished at the bottom of the positions- and curiously, in the following tournament, they became champions with Montenegro already wearing red.
San Lorenzo vs Platense
No less interesting than what happens in Avellaneda will be the clash between San Lorenzo (17 points) and Platense (21) in the New Gasometer. Rubén Darío Insúa’s team has just lost an incredible game in Paraná against Patronato (they scored three goals in less than five minutes) and suffers excessively at home: one win, ten draws and three losses so far this year. Of course, the most optimistic can also say that they haven’t lost in Bajo Flores for eight (seven equalities, a joy). The hope of the Cyclone is placed in the return of Perrito Barrioswho was absent in Entre Ríos due to muscle discomfort and has been one of the best for Boedo in the League.
Platense, who is fighting for permanence, is having a good tournament with Omar De Felippe and it comes from defeating Banfield 3 to 1 at home, with Mauro Zárate exchanging verbiage with some plateistas. The last meeting between the two brings back bad memories for Ciclón, who left at halftime winning by two goals and ended up suffering the final 2-2.
Sarmiento vs Godoy Cruz
Despite continuing to be complicated by relegation, the campaign Sarmiento can be classified as champion. Israel Damonte’s team adds 17 points in the League and is located in the middle of the table but, more importantly, is that is one unit away from getting into the last place that classifies the South American in the annual table. Prior to their loss to Huracán, the Juninense club had won two in a row – against River and Lanús – and hopes to return to that path, although still without their benchmark Lisandro López, injured. For its part, Godoy Cruz (21) fights above in the League and below in the averages, where only seven points separate it from the First National. The Orsi-Gómez duo team has just defeated Aldosivi 2-0 in Mendoza.
Center Cordoba vs Colon
In Santiago del Estero, Sergio “Huevo” Rondina will meet his former directors, now at the head of Columbus (15 points). El Sabalero, who will not have Pulga Rodríguez -torn-, still does not engage with the new leadership and adds one win, four draws and one fall. On the contrary, Central Cordoba (14) is on the rise thanks to Abel Balbo and despite recently losing to point guard Atlético Tucumán. The former striker has two wins and two losses at the moment, numbers that took Ferroviario away from the danger zone in the averages: four points behind Aldosivi, the last to descend.
