Defensores de Caballito Oeste took a hard-earned victory in Mendoza territory, with a 2-1 that allowed them to add three key points on matchday eight of the Primera L of the GBA Oeste. San Cristóbal Centro put in a worthy but imprecise performance at the key moments, going down in a match where both sides set out with similar systems without either managing to impose themselves in play. The visitors made better use of their chances and that, in the end, was the difference on the turf.
Bauti Rivero was the man who set the tone for Caballito Oeste. The 31-year-old Brazilian striker, the one who carries stories of port and labour from Recife, scored two goals and showed a class that no home centre-back could contain. Claudio Egea did his job as best he could for the visitors' defence, even picking up a booking for his intensity, while in the home attack only Tito Argento, the Mendoza full-back who comes from a neighbourhood where reflexes are forged on the dirt pitch, managed to score. Zacarías Krüger spread the play from the right with his usual precision, though without enough support to turn that initiative into goals.
What this home defeat leaves behind is the taste of a match that San Cristóbal Centro could have won more clearly through execution. Rivero was the finisher, but not because the home side did not have their moments. Defensores de Caballito Oeste head back from the south with the three points secured, strengthening their position in the group, while the sides from the south will have to recalibrate their ambitions in the mirror and understand that at this level it is often the details that decide matches.
Def. San Cristóbal Centro came in with 1 win, 2 draws and 2 defeats in their last 5 matches.
Defensores de jardin came in with 1 win, 3 draws and 1 defeat in their last 5 matches.
In the last 2 meetings between Def. San Cristóbal Centro and Defensores de jardin: 0 wins for Def. San Cristóbal Centro, 1 draw and 1 for Defensores de jardin.
Full Def. San Cristóbal Centro vs Defensores de jardin head-to-head →
Def. San Cristóbal Centro (4-4-2): Rodrigo Trotta, Tito Argento, Bauti Santoro, Kevin Leyva, Bastian Zucconi, Agustín Rosati, Benicio Guerra, Enzo Carrizo, Zacarías Krüger, Pepe Dabrowski, Cris Buscaglia.
Defensores de jardin (4-4-2): Leonardo Egea, Luis Bartolozzi, Claudio Egea, Samuel Zubeldía, Santiago Lipari, Bautista Borinaga, Jesús Gándara, Joaquín Szymanski, Ronaldo Egea, Lucio Lima, Bauti Rivero.
In Primera L - GBA Oeste, Def. San Cristóbal Centro are in position 7 with 42 points; Defensores de jardin are in position 6 with 42 points. See the full table
Def. San Cristóbal Centro, with 1,644 fans. Home ground: Estadio Def. San Cristóbal Centro.
Defensores de jardin ("La banda del campo"), with 1,493 fans. Home ground: TOMAS GB.
Next match for Def. San Cristóbal Centro: vs su proximo rival — Sunday 1 November at 01:00 GMT
Next match for Defensores de jardin: vs su proximo rival — Sunday 1 November at 01:00 GMT
This match was played by two real managers on ELDT, the free online football manager game. Take your own club from the bottom all the way to the top flight.