Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata became the new leader of the Professional Football League tournament, defeating Independiente 3-1 at home in a match on the 17th date.
The “Rojo” took the lead at 11m of the first half with a goal from Leandro Fernández, but the “Wolf” turned it around with goals from Benjamín Domínguez (33m PT), Leonardo Morales (6m ST) and Nicolás Contín (10m ST).
Gimnasia, which came to this meeting involved in a conflict with the management over a salary debt, rose to the top of the table with 33 points, one more than Atlético Tucumán, which on Monday from 9:30 p.m. will host Banfield at the close of the day.
The match, due to the aforementioned crisis, seemed crossed for Gimnasia: its players did not concentrate on claiming the debt; the owner of the club, Gabriel Pellegrino, dedicated harsh words to them yesterday; and today they arrived at the Forest each one from their respective address.
To make matters worse, and although the local started better, the first to hit was Independiente: at 11m Ferreyra went to the right, sent the center and Leandro Fernández, from the door of the area, took a shot that seemed simple but Rey could not stop .
The crash then became uphill for the Wolf. Down in the result; with the captain and figure of him, the Uruguayan Brahian Alemán, reprimanded (favorite target in Pellegrino’s explosive statements); and, in his immediate search for a tie, with huge holes in his defense. Independiente got close a couple of times, but didn’t take advantage and couldn’t increase.
And Gimnasia, which despite its insistence failed to generate a clear risk (beyond a couple of approaches from Contín and Steimbach), tied it with a great goal from its “jewel”, the kid Benjamín Domínguez, who at the exit of a corner took an exceptional shot from outside the area, top left of Sosa.
At the beginning of the second half the visitor had it again through Leandro Fernández, but Rey saved. And in the following minutes Gimnasia settled it in two arrivals.
First with a headed goal by Morales, at 5m, after a precise center by Alemán. And then at 11m, when Enrique got Batallini “up early”, he went to the right, sent a center and Contín, in the small area, made it 3-1 before Sosa’s doubts.
That’s where the game practically ended. Because Independiente did not have the resources to approach Rey dangerously, and because Gimnasia was enough to manage the advantage until the end to keep the three points, climb to the top of the table, thrill with the final ovation of the entire Forest for “Pipo” Gorosito and, despite everything, dream big.
On the next day, the 18th, Gimnasia will visit Newell’s Old Boys (Sunday 11 from 13) and Independiente will receive Aldosivi from Mar del Plata (Thursday 8 from 18).
