07/24/2024 16:01hs. Updated on 07/24/2024 19:38hs.
That bright, clean and overflowing image was eroded in a matter of days. In four, to be precise. From shining with football, forcefulness and high-flying moments, Racing became a haggard, untidy, disheveled team. When they needed to revalidate the great performance in the 3-0 over Godoy Cruz, Racing suffered a defeat that slowed them down drastically.
The Avellaneda team was unable to defeat a rival that struck its blow on one of the few goal-scoring chances it had and that knew how to defend its advantage tooth and nail in the second half. It was a credit to their tactical concentration and also to the very poor afternoon of their opponent. As in the League Cup this year, the Academy lost again against the same opponent. And they lost, moreover, due to their poor footballing game against a team that presented them with a tight and numerous defence. Something that had already happened before against other rivals.
Costas was holding his head, a reflection of Racing’s afternoon in Junín.
A shot from Agustín Almendra from far away went high. Another from Maxi Salas that flew too far. Maravilla Martínez’s annoyance because the ball never reached him clearly. A badly given three-meter pass, another from two. An attempt at dribbling that did not succeed. A team in which few of its intentions were absorbed by its own lack of inspiration. Racing was a mix of all these shortcomings, with its biggest problem centered on the absence of football.
Naya, the scorer of the goal, was the star of the game.
Racing, without inventiveness or individual imbalance
Without imagination, with lights turned off in the collective and with individualities that did not appear to light the way. Orderly, tactically disciplined and combative in the middle, Sarmiento made the field dirty for the Academy in the first half. To a team that had nothing – nothing, eh – of what led it to shine in the 3-0 with Godoy Cruz. Lacking combinations, elaboration and goal situations. Nor did it offer guarantees in defense in the little that was demanded of it: from a side, Damonte’s team nailed it 1-0 and then cut off its maneuvers in the middle zone or near the area.
Racing had a couple of clear chances, one with a heroic save
He had three men to mark a 9. He had one defender too many. Towards the end of the first half, Sosa moved forward almost as a 5 to tie the score with Sarmiento. At ST Racing, he naturally moved forward due to his need. He had a couple of chances, one of which Gho saved on the line from Maravilla’s shot. Sarmiento also almost extended the lead on the counterattack. With the lead up, the Verde did what it knows best in the second half: it took refuge near its area, relying on the solidarity of its men to fight to recover the ball. Roger Martínez and Solari came on for Racing. But it was enough for Racing.
The Academy sank into its own impotence. Its fans were bewildered by such a change from one game to the next. It hurts against open opponents, but against those more seasoned in defense he ends up colliding.
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