1'With the stadium roaring, first whistle and off we go; the team try to settle quickly with teeth gritted.
2'Deadly counter from the away side: few touches, lots of space and a whiff of danger.
4'There's a feeling that the next mistake could prove very costly.
7'Pepe Naranjo wins it and releases it quickly; the away side race back to salvage what they can.
13'The ball moves safely between the the away side shirts; what's missing is a bit of pace in the final third.
14'The the home side block sets up high; this is risky, but it's ambitious too. You can feel the tension from early on.
16'The keeper and the opposing defender get their wires crossed; that nearly became a collector's-item blooper.
17'The away side manage the ball with no messing about, shifting the home side from side to side.
18'The away side put the game to sleep down by the corner flag, trying to tempt the home side out of their shell. The managers are already taking notes.
22'The the away side press bites around the D; the home side start to lose their clarity.
23'Tempers flaring a little: a heavy foul and several players come over to argue.
23'🟨 Pocho Silvestre goes into the book; the next one could prove costly. There's a lot riding on this.
24'The away side put the game to sleep on the edge of the box, trying to tempt the home side out of their shell.
25'The away side slips a delicious through ball to the away side, who is perfectly set.
26'The the home side block sets up high; this is risky, but it's ambitious too.
28'The home side manage the ball without breaking sweat, shifting the away side from side to side.
30'Mario Salinas darts in behind and Adolfo Esposito plays the striker in with a superb ball.
34'A gift at the back from the home side; these are the ones you pay dearly for later.
35'The away side takes charge of midfield and brings a bit of order to the chaos.
36'The away side darts in behind and the away side plays the striker in with a superb ball.
38'The ball moves safely between the the home side shirts; what's missing is a bit of pace in the final third. The home side are in a much better position after that.
41'The keeper and the opposing defender get their wires crossed; that nearly became a collector's-item blooper.
42'The home side manage the ball with no messing about, shifting the away side from side to side.
46'As the heart rates come down, a heated half-time: there was intensity, but a lack of precision in the final third.
48'The home side put the game to sleep down the left, trying to tempt the away side out of their shell.
50'The away side manage the ball with an extra gear, shifting the home side from side to side.
52'The defender sticks out a lifesaving leg and stops a teammate going one-on-one.
57'The home side have the ball, but the away side close the spaces as best they can.
58'Coordinated pressing: one closes down, another blocks the lane and the third wins it.
61'The home side launch a textbook counter-attack, the kind the gaffer drills all week long. The story is only just beginning.
67'The ball moves safely between the the away side shirts; what's missing is a bit of pace in the final third.
73'The ball moves safely between the the home side shirts; what's missing is a bit of pace in the final third.
75'🛡️ The defence clears the danger and keeps the ball.
79'🛡️ The defence clears the danger and keeps the ball.
81'Alejandro Lipari finds exactly the right channel and leaves Pepe Naranjo staring at goal. The ball is starting to burn.
82'🎯 Ciro De Luca runs at goal and shapes to shoot...
82'...hits it with his left foot...
82'Effort from a teammate hugging the touchline; it whistled past and left everyone with the shout stuck in their throats.
90'With no margin left at all, it's over: the result is written, but the analysis is only just beginning.
0 - 0
Defensores de Villa Devoto