The League Cup meet this saturday two new qualified to quarterfinals when with three simultaneous games the third and fourth positions of the Zone 2. Attentive to this story will be Racing and River, potential rivals of the winners of the day.
The definition will go away at 4:30 p.m. Tigercurrently third with 20 points and +7 goal difference, will be the home of the already classified Mouth (by TNT Sports); Aldosivifourth with 20 units but +2 difference, will face in Mar del Plata Arsenal (by Public TV); while Hurricanefifth with 18 points and +1 difference, will visit Independent (per ESPN Premium). Besides, at 19, Rosario Central -already eliminated- will seek not to be last when he receives the undisputed leader of the area, Students (by TNT Sports).
tiger vs. Mouth
El Matador is one step away from completing the feat in his first season post return to the top flight. Diego Martínez’s team, characterized by its good handling of the ball, has also made its defensive solidity a mark: It has the second least expired fence in the Cup entering the last date (10 goals against, behind Racing’s 9). However, the final stretch has been more complicated than necessary as they have won only one of their last five games (two draws, two losses). Against Boca they will seek to capitalize his hometown, still undefeated in the Cup -privilege shared with Racing- with four wins and two draws.
For its part, Boca has just passed a demanding test in Bolivia for the Copa Libertadores and Sebastián Battaglia will take advantage of the fact that his team has already secured second place in the local tournament to rotate some names. In any case, Darío Benedetto and Sebastián Villa will appear up front, absent against Always Ready.
Aldosivi vs. Arsenal
Far behind were the impressive five wins in a row that put Aldosivi in the forefront and predicted the presence of Tiburón in the playoffs. A harvest of one point from the last nine at stake complicated the story for Martín Palermo’s men, who will now play the classification against Arsenal. The cast of the Viaducto comes from ending a streak of nine games without winning (eight draws) after beating Colón 2-0. Leonardo Madelón’s team is the one with the most equalities in the Cup (8) and those from Palermo just need a win so as not to depend on the result of Hurricane.
independent vs. Hurricane
One who does not want to be last and another who wants to fight for the title. Duel of contrasts in Avellaneda between Independiente and Huracán. With its rival immersed in the Copa Sudamericana -he has just beaten General Caballero in Paraguay- and without chances in the local tournament, the Globe could have hoped that Eduardo Domínguez would give its starters a rest. Nevertheless, the red DT -he has five games without wins in the Cup- does not want the stain of last place in his history and will put the best he has to receive those directed by Frank Kudelka.
Hurricane is forced to win -he has two in a row- and wait for a fall from Tigre or Aldosivi to get into rooms. In case of draws of his persecuted, it will be useful to win by two goals or more to have a better difference than the Shark. To beat Tigre is another story: he would have to beat Independiente on their field by six or more points.
Rosario Central vs. Students
Although last in Zone 2, Rosario Central will live a special day as it will serve as a farewell to Marco Ruben, its all-time top scorer in the professional era (104 goals) and third since the founding of the club, behind the iconic brothers Harry and Ennis Hayes (217 and 158 goals in the 1910s and 1920s). The 35-year-old striker will also seek his own brand: he has 51 goals at Gigante de Arroyito and will try overtake Edgardo Bauza (52) as the top scorer in this stadium. “I want this Saturday to be very special and for people to see me on the pitch at my best. I would like to play the whole game and do everything possible so that the team does well and wins,” Ruben said in the preview.
In front will be Estudiantes, the undisputed leader of the group and who has just secured their pass to the second round in the Libertadores. Ricardo Zielinski will rest his starters and put a team full of youth.