Cooperativa Abasto did not need to be put under much pressure to justify their home advantage on matchday 2 of Primera L - GBA Norte. With a 3-1 win over AC Villa Riachuelo, the home side produced a balanced but effective brand of football, making the most of the spaces left by an opponent who arrived without the burden of urgency but still with the obligation to compete. Both sides set out in the same tactical shape, two lines of four and one midfielder in transition, which promised an end-to-end match. That is exactly what happened, although with one clear protagonist.
Cristian Basaldua was the emblem of the home dominance. The 27-year-old centre-back scored a goal that summed up his authority on the pitch: intelligent positioning in the box, reading the game before the physical action. Raúl Marín on the left and Maxi Scarpinato on the right kept up the constant attacking without rushing. Theo Álvarez in goal had little to do, which speaks to the defensive order Cooperativa Abasto maintained. For the visitors, Bautista Zarate pulled one back with a midfielder’s goal, the kind of effort you see in Primera L every so often. Vidal Bottura created from midfield with an assist that showed his reading of the game, but those were isolated flashes. Santino Azkue’s 32 years showed in the consistency of his left-back play, preventing any surprises.
The win leaves Cooperativa Abasto in a comfortable position for what lies ahead. AC Villa Riachuelo leave Avellaneda with the task of reviewing their attacking approach; Bottura’s assist and Zarate’s goal were not enough to break the rhythm set by the home side. The gap in ratings between the two squads (7.1-7.2 for Cooperativa Abasto versus 6.5-6.6 for Villa Riachuelo) ultimately proved decisive.
In the last 2 meetings between Cooperativa Abasto and AC Villa Riachuelo: 0 wins for Cooperativa Abasto, 1 draw and 1 for AC Villa Riachuelo.
Full Cooperativa Abasto vs AC Villa Riachuelo head-to-head →
Cooperativa Abasto (4-4-2): Theo Álvarez, Raúl Marín, Simón Bartoli, Cristian Basaldua, Polaco Zanchi, Santino Azkue, Santino Altzaga, Chino Turi, Maxi Scarpinato, Stefano Boldini, Genaro Yedlin.
AC Villa Riachuelo (4-4-2): Yanis Zola, Tincho Aloma, Adolfo Amezaga, Gabriel Zerbi, Joaquín Zola, Bautista Vázquez, Bautista Zarate, Vidal Bottura, Cristian Rotondo, Axel Schäfer, Aníbal Brancato.
In Primera L - GBA Norte, Cooperativa Abasto are in position 12 with 37 points; AC Villa Riachuelo are in position 9 with 41 points. See the full table
Cooperativa Abasto, with 1,583 fans. Home ground: Estadio Abasto.
AC Villa Riachuelo, with 1,846 fans. Home ground: Estadio AC Villa Riachuelo.
Next match for Cooperativa Abasto: vs su proximo rival — Sunday 1 November at 01:00 GMT
Next match for AC Villa Riachuelo: 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.