Estudiantes de La Plata defeated Independiente 2-1 on Saturday night at home, in a hard-fought match on the first date of zone 2 of the Professional Soccer League Cup.
The goals of Estudiantes were from Mauro Boselli and Agustín Rogel and Joaquín Laso discounted, all in the complement.
Thus, “Pincha” was able to beat Independiente for the first time in their new UNO stadium, where “Rojo” had eliminated them on penalties in the previous Cup and beat them in the league tournament.
Estudiantes and Independiente played a forgettable first half. Inaccurate, without clarity and far from the goals, Andújar and Sosa barely had a couple of interventions in the end.
Only at 42m did Boselli have a chance, who preferred to enable Diaz rather than head into the goal; and a minute later Sosa beat Díaz himself one-on-one. The “Rojo” had his in a Fernandez center that Andújar controlled without problems.
Independiente put five midfielders on the field and only Fernández as a striker, but he did not have precise handling. Students, although they played with three strikers, always stopped with a 4-4-2 with Del Prete on the left and losing gravitation.
The plugin start was different. Students inserted Del Prete with Castro on the wings and in the first the Uruguayan won on the left and Boselli, with his goalscoring instinct intact, headed Sosa to make it 1-0.
The visiting team was able to equalize with a header from Insaurralde that went just over the crossbar; and at 7m the local surprised again with a free kick from Zuqui and Rogel, after a deflection on a defender, headed over the goalkeeper for 2-0.
At minute 15, in a corner by Roa that should not have been validated because the ball was outside the execution area, it fell to Laso, who scored the discount in half a turn. And right away Avellaneda’s men had the chance to equalize, but Andújar covered a one-on-one with Fernández who had scored early.
The match was once again intense rather than well played and in added time Andújar blocked a ball from Batallini to ensure the deserved victory for Estudiantes at the start of the contest.
On the next day, Students will visit Huracán, on Tuesday from 9:30 p.m.; and Independiente will receive Arsenal, the same day but from 7:15 p.m.
