Real Mataderos Reserves and Mutual Liniers shared the points in a fixture that left more questions than answers on matchday 19 of Primera L in the GBA Oeste. The final 1-1 was a reflection of a match in which both teams, set up in balanced 4-4-2 systems, cancelled each other out without managing to dominate any stage of the game. At Mataderos’s stadium, with the home side looking to make the most of home advantage, it ended up being a fair draw that probably satisfied no one.
Zacarías Espinosa, the 27-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper who arrived at the Mataderos reserve side after a solid display in a divisional friendly, had to stay alert in the opening minutes when Mutual Liniers came out with intent. Simón Borda, the 22-year-old left winger born in Tigre, was the one who caused the most problems for the home defence with his constant movement down the flank. However, the work in the middle was effective: Claudio Encina, the veteran 33-year-old central midfielder from Comodoro Rivadavia, stood firm on the pitch with his usual late-goal poacher’s instinct to contain the visitors’ advances. The experienced Encina was the one who broke the deadlock with a goal that temporarily put the home side ahead.
At the other end, Wilfredo Aldecoa, the Argentine midfielder aged 28 who keeps in his memory the dirt pitches where he began his career, was a standout in Liniers’s midfield. The visitors’ central midfielder posted a 7.2 rating and made his presence felt in the tensest moments of the match. His goal allowed the Liniers side to level things up and rescue a valuable point from their trip to Mataderos. Lionel Mendoza in the visitors’ goal, at just 23 yet already showing composure in the role with a 7.1 rating, was decisive on several occasions in keeping his team’s hopes alive.
Federico Cuello, the 23-year-old midfielder from Mendoza who is equally adept with both feet and can disorient defenders with his versatility, played an active role in Mataderos’s search for width. His assist was recorded in the match report, showing that the home side had its moments to have won it. Cuello’s presence on the left caused some imbalances that Liniers had to keep neutralising constantly.
The draw was the most honest snapshot of what happened on the pitch. Neither Real Mataderos Reserves nor Mutual Liniers produced the level of cutting edge needed to take all three points. One point each seems the fairest outcome on a day when balance was the most obvious constant.
Real Mataderos Reservas came in with 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats in their last 5 matches.
Los Rayos Dorados came in with 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats in their last 5 matches.
In the last 2 meetings between Real Mataderos Reservas and Los Rayos Dorados: 0 wins for Real Mataderos Reservas, 0 draws and 2 for Los Rayos Dorados.
Full Real Mataderos Reservas vs Los Rayos Dorados head-to-head →
Real Mataderos Reservas (4-4-2): Zacarías Espinosa, Claudio Faud, Octavio Zamora, Santi Zardini, Enrique Rebollo, Federico Cuello, Claudio Encina, Omar Munarriz, Pipa Quintana, Cesar Argento, Dylan Pessina.
Los Rayos Dorados (4-4-2): Lionel Mendoza, Nazareno Halim, Santiago Valdés, Lisandro Mazza, Raúl Matos, Simón Borda, Wilfredo Aldecoa, Víctor Zambon, Camilo Grosso, Nahuel Schwartzman, Roberto Bartolozzi.
In Primera L - GBA Oeste, Real Mataderos Reservas are in position 4 with 45 points; Los Rayos Dorados are in position 12 with 39 points. See the full table
Real Mataderos Reservas, with 1,592 fans. Home ground: Estadio Real Mataderos Reservas.
Los Rayos Dorados ("LRD"), with 1,624 fans. Home ground: Estadio Mutual LRD.
Next match for Real Mataderos Reservas: vs su proximo rival — Sunday 1 November at 01:00 GMT
Next match for Los Rayos Dorados: 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.