“Juan Gutiérrez breaks the deadlock, finishing clinically after Unión had squandered several earlier chances of their own”
Pivotal“Two minutes after scoring, Gutiérrez turns provider as César Pérez doubles the lead right before the break”
Pivotal
Unión Santa Fe
Defensa y Justicia
Outstanding performance
Defensa y Justicia•GoalkeeperUnión Santa Fe dominated the underlying numbers, out-shooting their visitors 26-7 and racking up 58 dangerous attacks to Defensa's 25, but none of that mattered once Defensa y Justicia struck twice in a three-minute burst before halftime. Juan Gutiérrez opened the scoring in the 43rd minute after Unión had spurned several first-half chances through Demian Dominguez and Cristian Tarragona, and Gutiérrez immediately turned creator, teeing up César Pérez for the second just two minutes later. From there Defensa y Justicia management of the game was ruthless — they were clinical with 10 shots on target from just 21 attempts, while Unión's profligacy in front of goal (seven shots on target from 26) proved their undoing. The second half unraveled into a disciplinary mess, with Santiago Sosa's 76th-minute red card compounding Unión's misery as they chased an equalizer that never came, leaving them stuck in trouble near the relegation zone while Defensa climbs away from danger with a statement road win.
How entertaining was this match?
Bruno Pitton takes a left-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Tiziano Perrotta's left-footed shot is saved.
Misael Aguirre's header is saved.
Cristian Alberto Tarragona attempts a header but misses the shot.
Tiziano Perrotta takes a left-footed shot, but it is saved.
Misael Aguirre takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Julian Palacios takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Bruno Pitton is substituted for Tobias Rubio.
Cristian TarragonaYellow CardYellow card issued to Cristian Alberto Tarragona.
VAR decision pending regarding a red card.
Misael Aguirre comes on for Lucas Ayala.
Corner awarded.
Offside.
Julian Alejo Lopez replaces Juan Manuel Gutierrez Freire.
Ezequiel Burdin comes on for David Barbona.
Yellow card shown to Marcelo Luciano Estigarribia.
Corner awarded.
Julian Palacios takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Santiago SosaRed CardRed card shown to Santiago Sosa.
Santiago Sosa receives a yellow card.
Tiziano Perrotta comes on for Leandro Miguel Fernandez.
Agustin Hausch is substituted for Jeremias Lucco.
Corner awarded.
Julián PalaciosYellow CardJulian Palacios receives a yellow card.
Julian Palacios comes on for Mauro Luna Diale.
Marcelo Luciano Estigarribia comes on for Eric Kleybel Ramirez Matheus.
Lucas AyalaYellow CardLucas Ayala receives a yellow card.
Leandro Miguel Fernandez takes a shot with his right foot, but it's saved.
Leandro FernándezYellow CardLeandro Miguel Fernandez receives a yellow card.
Corner awarded.
Tobias Rubio takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Cristian Alberto Tarragona takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Cristian Alberto Tarragona takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Maximiliano Porcel is on, and Cesar Ignacio Perez Maldonado is off.
Offside.
Corner awarded.
Brahian Cuello takes a shot with his head, but it's saved.
Shot by Jeremias Lucco with his right foot is blocked.
Eric Kleybel Ramirez Matheus takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Victor Ignacio Malcorra takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Brahian Cuello takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Corner awarded.
Victor Ignacio Malcorra takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Brahian Cuello is substituted off for Joaquin Mosqueira.
Jeremías LuccoYellow CardYellow card shown to Jeremias Lucco.
Eric Kleybel Ramirez Matheus takes a shot with his head, but it misses the target.
The first half ends with a score of 0-2.
Eric Kleybel Ramirez Matheus takes a shot, but it misses the target.
Cesar Ignacio Perez Maldonado takes a shot with his right foot and scores.
assist: Juan Gutiérrez
Goal! Cesar Ignacio Perez Maldonado scores to make it 0-2, assisted by Juan Manuel Gutierrez Freire.
Cesar Ignacio Perez Maldonado takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Juan Manuel Gutierrez Freire takes a shot with his right foot and scores.
assist: David Barbona
Goal! Juan Manuel Gutierrez Freire scores to make it 1-0, assisted by David Barbona.
Demian Dominguez takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Cristian Alberto Tarragona takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Demian Dominguez takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Corner awarded.
Leandro Miguel Fernandez takes a shot with his right foot, but it is saved.
Cristian Alberto Tarragona attempts a header but misses the shot.
Eric Kleybel Ramirez Matheus takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Victor Ignacio Malcorra takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Santiago Sosa takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
David Barbona takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
David Barbona takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Juan Manuel Gutierrez Freire takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Cesar Ignacio Perez Maldonado takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked off the line.
Valentin Loza takes a left-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Valentin Loza takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Corner awarded.
Eric Kleybel Ramirez Matheus takes a shot with his right foot, but it is saved.
Leandro Miguel Fernandez takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Matias Emiliano Rocha Calderon takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Offside.
Offside.
Offside.
Joaquín MosqueiraYellow CardJoaquin Mosqueira receives a yellow card.
Leandro Miguel Fernandez takes a shot with his right foot, but it's blocked.
Victor Ignacio Malcorra takes a left-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Jeremias Lucco takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Corner awarded.
Joaquin Mosqueira takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Juan Manuel Gutierrez Freire takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Kick-off! The referee is Dario Herrera.
Unión Santa Fe, reeling from three straight losses including a 3-0 drubbing at Boca, host a red-hot Defensa y Justicia side that just thrashed San Lorenzo. With playoff hopes on the line, this is a must-win for the hosts and a chance for the visitors to cement their climb up the table.
