Two hundred and seventy-four days after the start of this very long and demanding journey, the First National team will begin this Saturday to define the name of the club that will win the second ticket to the Professional League and will accompany Belgrano to the golden division of Argentina football. Another group of Cordovan, InstituteI will visit Students in the first leg of the Ridotto final. The duel in Stadium of the city of Caseroswhich promises to be full, will start at 20.10 and will be broadcast by TyC Sports.
While it’s hard to predict favoritism in a case like this, Institute starts with a head advantage. Partly due to her performance during the contest: he finished second and was the only one who could follow the Belgrano train, albeit always from behind. And basically because that better finish (Estudiantes was seventh) gives him an advantage: in case of equal points and goal difference after the two matches of the final, the Cordoba team will be promoted.
In any case, no one wants to celebrate early in Alta Córdoba. The precedents call for caution: since the last relegation from the First Division, in May 2006, there have been many wasted opportunities to return to the elite. This time the opportunity seems unbeatable.
To reach this stage, the team led by Lucas Bovaglio only had to go through a key in Ridotto, since it began its participation in the semifinals thanks to the second place in the season standings. In that case, left Defensores de Belgrano away after drawing 0-0 in Bajo Núñez and winning 2-0 at home. Now it will be time to take the last step.
“It’s hard to enjoy this beautiful moment”Bovaglio acknowledged. “But the team is fine. I ask the players to enjoy all of this”, added the DT, who assured that Estudiantes will be “a very difficult obstacle”. For this first match, the former Atlético de Rafaela, Villa Dálmine and Deportivo Morón coach will have all of his players at his disposal. At the last moment, he will reveal the two doubts that persist in training: Nicolás Watson or Claudio Pombo in the center and Nicolás Mazzola or Patricio Cucchi up front.
For Estudiantes, a club that lived its most glorious years during the amateur season, this final offers the chance to return to the top flight after 44 years. His last appearance was at the 1978 Metropolitan (Quilmes was the champion), in which he finished last with only eight wins in 40 dates.
The team and technical staff of the click they are clear on the importance of getting a victory this Saturday in Caseros to face retaliation next Saturday in the Juan Domingo Perón stadium in Alta Córdoba, where the Instituto has never lost this season.
“All teams’ venues have been strong throughout the league. We did well at home and we hope we can continue to strengthen ourselves”, Walter Otta was enthusiastic. The coach also underlined, in a dialogue with Solo Ascenso, the importance of keeping a cool head in this duel: “We need to make sure that emotions don’t overwhelm us and understand that beyond the good that may come, we haven’t achieved anything yet”.
Without injuries or disqualifications in his crew, Otta will face this first commitment, who in his resume as a driver has two promotions: with Villa Dálmine in 2012 (from Primera C to Primera B) and with Deportivo Morón in 2017 (from Primera B to ‘then First National B). If there are no last minute problems, the TD will repeat the formation he used in the last few matches.
The longer the road he had to travel the bullfighter in this Reduced to access the final. In the round of 16 they beat 3-0 at home against Chaco forever. In the quarterfinals he had to settle his luck away from home and with a sporting disadvantage, and he also emerged victorious: he beat 1-0 against Rio Cuarto students. In the semifinals, already in a double game but also from behind, he started on the road Mendoza gymnastics: won 1-0 both matches.
Probable alignments
Students: Luca Bruera; Delfor Minervino, Juan Cruz Randazzo, Stefano Brundo, Nicolás Fernández; Kevin González, Sebastián Mayorga, Nicolás Pelaitay, Enzo Acosta; Facundo Castelli, Facundo Pereyra. Trainer: Walter Otta.
Institute: Jorge Carrara; Giuliano Cerato, Ezequiel Parnisari, Fernando Alarcón, Sebastián Corda; Gabriel Graciani, Roberto Bochi, Nicolás Watson or Claudio Pombo, Franco Watson; Santiago Rodríguez, Nicolás Mazzola or Patricio Cucchi. Trainer: Luca Bovaglio.
Referee: Luis Lobo Medina.
Stage: Home town.
Start time: 20.10.
Transmission: TyC Sport.
Source: Clarin
