San Lorenzo beat Gimnasia and remain at the top of the Professional League standings

The word “sample” gushes from the mouths of those fans who brave the extreme temperature at sunset in the New Gasometer. If they have lived through the hell of campaigns that have burned the technicians, how can they not be enthusiastic about this serious team that Rubén Darío Insua has put together? “That is the Galician…”as the ovation in the form of a song born spontaneously in the second half says, “who came to Boedo” to conclude the darkest days, despite the institutional problems that persist. San Lorenzo is the leader of the tournament, he is unbeatable in his stronghold of Bajo Flores, where he records seven wins in a row, and this Saturday he made a cult out of strength.

Gymnastics was left very early with one man short, that’s true. However, you are bound to settle chirolas, not only for their coach, who jumped from the reserves and took over the team when the leaders could not hold back Néstor Gorosito and most of the players who fought last tournament. He has a youth squad, with some interesting values, but he doesn’t have a hierarchy. And the La Plata classic will arrive ruined, no more, no less.

The heat conditioned the match, but above all the expulsion of Guillermo Enrique, booked by the VAR. It’s hard to believe that Pablo Echavarría only got one yellow card against such a sliding tackle on Malcolm Braida. He needed Fernando Espinoza to call him from Ezeiza and the Cordova judge corrected his mistake.

Until then it had been difficult for him to settle at the San Lorenzo. Even at a numerical disadvantage, Gimnasia produced the best situation in half an hour. With two daring kids who have a future. This is the case of Benjamín Domínguez (19 years) and Alan Lescano (21), who met in Augusto Batalla’s area and the match did not end in a goal due to the goalkeeper’s remarkable intervention against Cristian Tarragona.

However, San Lorenzo took shape. With two changes. One, entrance. Agustín Martegani was embodied in the handle from the center of the field. The presence of the young 22-year-old midfielder gave him lucidity at the start and sharp passing. Inwards or to the sides. With the wisdom of a veteran, coinciding with the number “20” worn by Néstor Ortigoza, distributed the game. And on the sides, irregular Braida, above all. And the two tanks, Andrés Vombergar and Adam Bareiro, were waiting in the area. The other, after Enrique’s expulsion. The entrance of the incisive Iván Leguizamón.

So, every crossroads crossing the sky here between Varela, Perito Moreno and Cruz was a feeling of danger for Tomás Durso. The visiting parties were overwhelmed. Bautista Barros Schelotto had a bad moment. And Braida, after having received from Martegani, put a double hitch that recalled the best times of the Burritos Ortega. The airship was perfect and Vombergar seemed to have wings on his feet. He leapt to his feet and tossed the bow with a headbutt that might have matched his last name.

Romero had made a substitution that ended up damaging a minute before the Slovenian-born forward’s goal. Because he gave up on Lescano, who had shown his virtues, and bet on Agustín Bolívar to reinforce midfield and lend a hand to Ignacio Miramón, who was booked and should have been sent off by Echavarría. What was the difference between Enrique’s stretch on Braida and the boy’s kick on Vombergar? That Espinoza did not call his colleague, perhaps guilty of not having left the Gimnasia with two men less than in the first stage.

The second half was an explosion from Barça. With Martegani at the helm and Braida losing his balance. Echavarría observes Barros Schelotto’s penalty on Cordovan. The twins’ nephew takes him by the arm, the midfielder kicks awkwardly and the referee steps back to inflict a penalty. Controversial. Bareiro stung him and scored the 2-0.

Insua called on Carlos Sánchez to balance in the center and Romero’s changes didn’t work. The battle almost did not touch the ball. Durso stifled Leguizamón’s cry and soon came the third, from Gastón Hernández following a free kick from Jalil Elías, another outstanding player now on the right wing. And immediately, in the fourth, another great play by Martegani that Bareiro pushes in front of goal.

The people retreated happily, beyond the oppression of forty degrees. San Lorenzo is a leader, has an identity and ultimately wins the most important thing in football.