Rosario Central defeated at home Gymnastics and Fencing by 1-0 in their first match since the departure of their now ex-coach Miguel Ángel Russo on Friday, after a ninth matchday in which Huracán is the sole leader with 19 points. Canalla managed to win thanks to a goal by 20-year-old midfielder Tomás O’Connor, who had entered less than 20 minutes from the end of the match.
With the score already 1-0, Gimnasia y Esgrima’s striker Juan Esquivel was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute.
This result takes the Rosario team out of the bottom of the table, is a good start for Matías Lequi as interim coach and allows him to approach with more confidence the classic next Saturday against Newell’s and then the duel against the Brazilian team Fortaleza for the Copa Sudamericana on August 14.
The departure of 68-year-old Russo on Friday marked the end of his fifth stint as coach of the club, which he led from 1996 to 1998, from 2002 to 2004, in the 2008-2009 season, from 2012 to 2014, and in these last two campaigns.
Central Córdoba sinks with one point
Earlier, Deportivo Riestra had won 1-0 at home against Central Córdoba thanks to a goal from striker Jonathan Herrera. This defeat sinks the team from Santiago del Estero even further, which is in last place, having obtained only one point in nine matches.
The ninth round of the championship ended with a 1-0 victory for Banfield away to Platense thanks to a goal by striker Bruno Sepúlveda.
In other notable matches of this day, Huracán tied 0-0 against Racing Club to remain as the sole leader, River Plate also tied without goals against Unión de Santa Fewhich is in second place, and Independiente and San Lorenzo also failed to make up any differences and remain among the last places.
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Besides, Boca Juniors failed to get past a 1-1 draw against Barracas Central at La Bombonera and Vélez Sarsfield defeated Defensa y Justicia 3-0, achieving their fourth consecutive victory and climbing to third place.
