“Leandro Fernández heads home from a corner to give Defensa y Justicia the lead”
Pivotal“David Barbona converts from another corner sequence to make it emphatically two-nil”
Defensa y Justicia
Gimnasia y Esgrima Mendoza
Outstanding performance
Defensa y Justicia•MidfielderDefensa y Justicia did their damage in a blistering first-half spell, with Leandro Fernández punishing Gimnasia twice from set-piece situations inside the opening 20 minutes to effectively end the contest as a contest. David Barbona added a third-seeming gloss with a second corner-derived goal just after the restart, though the scoreline read 2-0 throughout. Despite Gimnasia matching their hosts for possession and out-shooting them 15-10, they managed not a single shot on target across the 90 minutes, a damning number that underlines how toothless their attack was without the ball translating into real threat. Defensa's home form and clinical edge - six shots on target from ten attempts, three big chances created - proved decisive, while a mass of second-half substitutions from both sides pointed to a game already decided well before the hour mark.
How entertaining was this match?
Corner awarded.
Cesar Ignacio Perez Maldonado takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Matias Recalde takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Shot by Ignacio Sabatini Charparin with a header, but it's blocked.
Santiago Rodriguez takes a left-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Matias Ezequiel Vargas Martin takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Ezequiel Burdin comes on for Juan Manuel Gutierrez Freire.
Agustin Ignacio Modica attempts a header but hits the post.
Matias Ezequiel Vargas Martin takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Tiziano Perrotta is on, and Leandro Miguel Fernandez is off.
Agustin Hausch comes on for Jeremias Lucco.
Shot by Ignacio Sabatini Charparin with a header, but it misses the target.
Offside.
Corner awarded.
Santiago Rodriguez comes on for Luciano Cingolani.
Luciano CingolaniYellow CardYellow card issued to Luciano Cingolani.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Luciano Paredes takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Luciano ParedesYellow CardYellow card shown to Luciano Paredes.
Luciano Cingolani takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Leandro Miguel Fernandez takes a shot with his right foot, but it is saved.
Maximiliano Porcel comes on for David Barbona.
Corner awarded.
Matias Ezequiel Vargas Martin comes on for Ulises Sanchez.
Agustin Ignacio Modica comes on for Esteban Fernandez.
Nahuel Barboza is substituted off for Fermin Antonini.
Corner awarded.
Ulises Sanchez takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
David BarbonaDavid Barbona takes a shot with his right foot and scores.
assist: César Pérez
Goal! David Barbona scores to make it 2-0, assisted by Cesar Ignacio Perez Maldonado.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Leandro Miguel Fernandez takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Luciano Cingolani takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Diego MondinoYellow CardDiego Mondino receives a yellow card.
Offside.
Leandro Miguel Fernandez takes a right-footed shot but misses.
First half ends with a score of 1-0.
Omar Brian Andrada takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Hector Martinez receives a yellow card.
Luciano Cingolani takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Offside.
Offside.
Shot by Ignacio Sabatini Charparin with a header, but it misses the target.
Corner awarded.
Esteban Fernandez takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Substitution: Omar Brian Andrada comes on for Facundo Lencioni.
Offside.
Jeremias Lucco takes a left-footed shot, but it is saved.
Ulises Sanchez takes a left-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Ulises Sanchez takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Goal! The score is now 2-0.
Offside.
Cesar Ignacio Perez Maldonado attempts a header but misses the shot.
Offside.
Corner awarded.
Leandro FernándezVAR decision results in a disallowed goal for Leandro Miguel Fernandez.
Goal! Leandro Miguel Fernandez scores, making it 2-0.
Offside.
Corner awarded.
Juan Manuel Gutierrez Freire takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Juan Manuel Gutierrez Freire takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
assist: Juan Gutiérrez
Goal! Leandro Miguel Fernandez scores to make it 1-0, assisted by Juan Manuel Gutierrez Freire.
Leandro FernándezShot - Leandro Miguel Fernandez Head Shot Goal
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Kick-off! The referee is Jorge Balino.
Defensa y Justicia host a red-hot Gimnasia de Mendoza side that snatched a dramatic late equalizer against Boca Juniors last weekend. Both teams sit level on 19 points, but the visitors' momentum and Defensa's patchy recent form make this a fascinating Zone A clash.
