“You must be champion, this is the year”fans sing. And the illusion that becomes chorus in the throat of the stands finds its argument in that indisputable victory against Atlético Tucumán, a rival who reached the top, aboard an unthinkable campaign.
So these three points are much more valuable. Because a stigma that haunted Racing in the Fernando Gago cycle were these key games. And because the passage to the Copa Libertadores 2023 was reached. There was no room for another result under the Avellaneda moon. And he did not have to suffer as in the last few dates, when he arrived at the victory against Rosario Central and the draw against Defense and Justice with the last breath of anguish.
The Tucumans fought at a disadvantage due to an unforced error, unbecoming for a national team goalkeeper, as in the case of Carlos Lampe. They lost him from the start with that unexpected scream. And at the end of that first phase of pure vertigo, when the Dean was groggythe Academy eliminated him with a great goal.
Conditions imposed by the races, aware that he was facing a final and the only possible outcome was to win or win. And he got off to a furious start, planted in a 4-3-3 where Johan Carbonero was an arrow. The Colombian, right-handed thrown to the left, was sharp, injured with the overflow and also with the diagonal. He has been unstoppable at times for Martín Garay. And in that sector Eugenio Mena also flowed, fast, supported by the best version of him, the offensive projection.
He had reason to be enthusiastic about a victory in Racing, but he found the goal thanks to an incredible mistake by Lampe. Five minutes had not passed and Atlético Tucumán had played too many times at the feet of their goalkeeper. The intention, of course, was to receive pressure from the attack to play long and find space behind the rival midfielders. Nobody expected a collapse of the kind of the Bolivian number one, who played short and allowed Enzo Copetti, smelling to score, to push her gently into the net.
Since then, the party went back and forth. Because Racing didn’t stop in their search and the Tucumans attacked with their weapons. Inside, with Ramiro Carrera. Outside, with Joaquín Pereyra, even if his role, in general, was to play long for the two forwards, Ruiz Rodríguez and Mateo Coronel. Of course, they didn’t go over to their side because they were forced to restrain themselves. Garay could not with the Mena-Carbonero tandem and on the other lift, it was difficult for Matías Orihuela to support the partnership put together by his namesake Rojas and Lolo Miranda. Iván Pillud had another function, either he played inside to clear the lane, or he closed against the line. Emiliano Vecchio, this time, did not have so much prominence.
Atlético Tucumán could have equalized with a left foot from Carrera who missed very close to the post and with a play maradona, a pure gambeta, who did not end up on the net because his shot lacked correctness in the definition. And Racing could also make the second half first. It is on a cross from Rojas that Carbonero saves at the edge of the field and ends with a cross shot that leaves Lampe without escape. Facundo Tello canceled at the request of the VAR. He plays Leonardo Sigali offside, head off before receiving the Colombian.
The game required another goal from Racing. And two minutes from the epilogue, Mena faces, wins the individual duel, touches, looks for the return of Copetti and shakes with the left. Unreachable for Lampe.
Atlético Tucumán came out encouraged to do the complement. He had the discount on a firm ball, a corner from Carrera that Bruno Bianchi headed over the crossbar. Racing has chosen another path. With two goals ahead, he stops worrying about ball possession and tries to counterattack with the speed of Carbonero, who accumulates opponents and does not score an own goal because Lampe blocks him.
Lucas Pusineri has transferred the bank. And he ended up playing with three forwards. Gago included another central scorer (Jonathan Galván) as a response. He also had the pleasure of including Edwin Cardona in the finale. A whim because he came in and fought a free kick against Carlos Alcaraz.
But Racing was sweet to think of that spark. Above is Boca. And it has another game. It doesn’t depend on itself, but it wins. And the crowd’s dream of him is indisputable.
Source: Clarin
