What Boca, San Lorenzo, Independiente and Racing need to reach the League Cup playoffs

There are three days left until the first phase of the Professional Football League Cup and still none of the 28 participating teams have secured a place in the playoffsWhile Godoy Cruz, leaders of group B, could do so after this date. For four of the five clubs traditionally called “big”, the prospects do not seem easy: only so far River In zone A the road to direct elimination seems clear. The others will have to increase strongly over the next three weekends and watch out of the corner of their eyes to see what their competitors will do.

Four teams will enter each group playoffs at the end of the 14 days of the first phase of the competition. With an extremely tight standings, they will likely end up playing a major role The play-off criteria in the event of a tie on points between two or more teams: In order they will be the goal difference, the number of goals scored, the results in matches between teams in equal position and finally their position in the league table. correctness.

Zone A now has Argentinos Juniors in the lead with 24 points after the victory over Insituto a Córdona and Barracas Central in second place, with 22 points thanks to the victory over Rosario Central. Subsequently, River and Vélez are tied on 21 points, even if the goal difference establishes hierarchies there: El Millonario, the highest-ranked team in the tournament, is a step above as it has +14 revenue, followed by Vélez (+1). As the result approaches, a good goal difference could represent the equivalent of half a point more than their closest rivals in the fight to progress to the group.

Below these teams, who cannot boast of having a guaranteed ticket but have an advantage, is Talleres in fifth place: Cordoban have 19 points with a goal difference of +7. Also aiming are Independiente, which has 18 units and +3, and Instituto – despite the defeat -, which has a total of 17 and +4.

Even if your situation is not simple, Independiente has its destiny practically in its hands: Three wins will catapult them into the playoffs unless a very complicated combination of results occurs. The group led by Carlos Tevez On Sunday they will host Atlético Tucumán and then visit Banfield (two rivals out of action) before ending their participation in the Libertadores de América against Talleres.

The one in Avellaneda on the last day could be a head-to-head for the ranking, even if it will not be the only match in which the points will have a special value because they will not only be added to one’s own baggage, but will also be subtracted from the potential harvest of others : In the last three dates there will be seven direct clashes between the seven teams fighting for the four playoff places (another four have mathematical probabilities, even if remote).

In group B, Lanús and Godoy Cruz took advantage of this: Both have 23 points and +9 goal difference. Those led by Ricardo Zielinski They scored more goals (10 against 4), even if they also played one game more: on Wednesday they already drew 2-2 against Unión in the duel that opened the 12th round, so Mendoza’s team will take the lead if he will be able to score on Monday in front of Platense visiting Vicente López.

Behind them runs a platoon of seven squads divided into three units. For now, those who occupy the other two positions in the standings are Estudiantes (18 and +4) and Newell’s (18 and 0), even if La Plata have one game less: they have to complete the duel in the eleventh round against Jorge Luis Hirschi at Jorge Luis Hirschi Boca suspended in the 27th minute of the first half due to Chilean midfielder Javier Altamirano fainting in the middle of the pitch.

Unión remained on the edge of the league table, who squandered a two-goal lead against Lanús on Thursday, drew and now have 17 points and +2. The same number of units, although with a worse difference (0), amounts to Defensa y Justicia, currently sixth in this group.

Boca runs seventh, with 16 points and +5, but it depends on him: if he adds 10 of the 12 beans he will have up for grabs, he will advance to the quarterfinals. They will do so even if they get 9 and Defensa y Justicia (17 and 0) do not win their three remaining matches, all against their direct rivals: Estudiantes, San Lorenzo and Newell’s.

Of course: the group directed by Diego Martinez He will have a very complicated appointment. On Saturday they will host San Lorenzo, visit Newell’s in Rosario and close their participation in this phase against Godoy Cruz in La Bombonera. Before the last appointment, he will have to play 63 minutes against Estudiantes in La Plata.

The picture is much more complicated for Racing (15 and +5) and San Lorenzo (15 and -1). Both could advance by getting six points, although they would need a run of phenomenal results to do so. But they could also be excluded from the decisive phase even if they get the nine points in dispute if Godoy Cruz and Lanús score 3, and Estudiantes and Newell’s collect 7.

Those led by Gustavo Costa On Saturday they will face Central Córdoba in Santiago del Estero, then host Lanús and visit Belgrano. Those led by Ruben Darío Insua will play on Saturday at the Bombonera (a setback there would shatter their hopes), will play at home against Defensa y Justicia and will finish against Central Córdoba in Santiago del Estero.