San Lorenzo started the tournament with a smile: they beat Arsenal with a goal from Vombergar

Perito Moreno gets out, all dressed in azulgrana. They come from Cruz or Varela. The saints marched like that illusion that was renewed in the final of the last championship, when this team entered the South American with the last breath of October. So, there is another spirit in the rostrum, beyond the unanimous call for elections, a war cry that doesn’t stop. And San Lorenzo has been offering the usual since Rubén Darío Insua took over: sacrifice, intensity and order. The game appears in a dropper because there is nothing left. However it was enough to beat Arsenal and there will be time to improve. Starting off by winning, after all, was all he needed to gain momentum.

A bit at first, infected by his people. A little at the end, with more relief than cleaning. San Lorenzo has gone from those fiery first minutes, with Nahuel Barrios as bishop, to a version that didn’t spare itself, despite the heat, but he had no spirit in the first half. He only found it in the complement, when Insua made a fundamental change: the entry of Andrés Martegani.

The plan was clear from the start. Starting from a flexible 5-2-3 that had a winger in Malcom Braida and a winger in Ezequiel Cerutti that could be closed to allow the teammate to overflow on the left, San Lorenzo tried to arrive from outside to find themselves in the box with its two tanks: Adam Bareiro and Andrés Vombergar. The Paraguayan moved into his natural position, as number “9”. The player born in Villa Luzuriaga and of Slovenian origin, however, was on the right. However, he came in as a second centre-forward. Gonzalo Luján, on the other hand, tried to overreach against the line.

This scheme half worked. Because Braida was sharp, but he didn’t worry Arsenal’s centre-backs a little. Therefore, more than net arrivals, what San Lorenzo generated in the Alejandro Medina area was noise. And also the explosive Barrios, full of energy at the beginning it was diluted. Almost in tune with the team. Because apart from some individual maneuvers and a good pass from Vombergar which closed well and allowed the visiting goalkeeper to react, he had little influence.

Arsenal arrived with a new line-up, with half a dozen reinforcements, who did not seek refuge. He shared the ball with his illustrious rival and when he was able to tackle, he was encouraged. With the handle of the Toloza kid, recently arrived from Talleres, and a few climbs by Nahuel Guzmán on the left. The midfielder fought back, but his best chances, even with more danger than San Lorenzo, came on the counterattack or blocked ball. Braian Rivero, who had been watching Barrios, had two chances with mid-range shots that missed the bar. And on a long clearance by Maximiliano Centurión, Toloza came close to scoring. He started in the middle of the field, chased by Jalil Elías, and ended up finishing one-on-one, but forced. Covered Facundo Altamirano.

San Lorenzo needed clarity. And although Insua didn’t change the design, she made two name-by-name variations that were decisive. Above all, the entry of Martegani through Barrios. He paid the piper Cubwhose best version with the Galician was seen from the left. Inside, beyond a few brushstrokes, he was out of tune. His replacement, however, brought lights into the game. He took the lead and left Bareiro hand in hand. Medina lowered the Paraguayan. It was a penalty, but the ball landed in Vombergar’s position, which he defined with an empty arc. The VAR reviewed the game. The marker appeared to be slightly ahead. Why didn’t Fernando Echenique come back and charge the goalkeeper offence?

With San Lorenzo ahead, the Moncho Ruiz moved the bench. Enter Luis Leal, striker more powerful than Facundo Pons. It was tempting to play for the Portuguese. His presence made him uncomfortable, perhaps for this reason Rafa Pérez didn’t blush to dismiss every time the ball was close to the Altamirano area. And the goalkeeper, another of Saturday night’s debutants, was safe from every cross.

Arsenal came closest to equalizing when newcomer Tobías Zárate dominated the ball in the box, but was never able to clip in to finish with his left foot. And San Lorenzo nearly killed him with the speed of Iván Leguizamón. Young people have met the steadfastness of Alejandro Medina.

San Lorenzo won their first league match, the fourth in a row on their own pitch. Its people are happy and it hasn’t been a short time since so much sporting and institutional ferment.