Círculo San Telmo could not sustain the balance it had set out at home and fell 1-0 to Argentinos de Chacarita on matchday 20 of Primera L - GBA Sur. It was a tight match where both sides went for defensive security with 4-4-2 formations, but the away side made greater use of its attacking resources with more precision. The home side had its chances, but Yoel Bossi in goal could not prevent the strike that settled the difference, while Rocco Pizarro and co created situations that did not end in a goal.
The first half passed without any major scares. Círculo San Telmo controlled much of the possession from deep, with Yago Stankovic at right-back doing a containing job, although at 37 the veteran from Mendoza felt the natural wear and tear of the match. For the visitors, Joaco Tassinari on the left flank was a constant source of concern, with his ability to beat a man from the opening minutes, although his youth at 23 still affects his crossing accuracy. Rubén Ruiz, the 33-year-old central midfielder who arrived from Comodoro Rivadavia years ago, was the visitors' metronome, keeping control of the tempo in midfield with composure.
The goal would come in the second half. Osvaldo Aizpurua, the experienced 38-year-old striker who enjoyed his best years in Bahía Blanca before joining Argentinos, was the one who settled the only difference in the match. The exact details of how the move was built were not captured live, but it was enough for the forward to find the back of the net and leave Yoel Bossi with no chance to react. Aizpurua showed that experience remains a valuable asset at that age, and that goal allowed Argentinos to take three points from hostile ground.
The home side responded in search of the equaliser, but Rocco Pizarro could not make his efforts count. The 30-year-old striker, with a rating of 6.7, met expectations but lacked that touch of precision that makes the difference in tight matches. Uriel Tellini, Argentinos' young goalkeeper at just 19, was assured when required.
Argentinos' win was deserved in a tight match where the visitors managed their chances better. Círculo San Telmo deserves no criticism for its approach or tactical execution, but sometimes in Argentine league football one good finish from an experienced player is enough to win the match. Aizpurua knows that recipe well, and applied it to perfection on an afternoon where the tactical balances held firm, but where efficiency was the decisive factor.
Círculo San Telmo came in with 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats in their last 5 matches.
Argentinos de Chacarita came in with 0 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats in their last 5 matches.
In the last 2 meetings between Círculo San Telmo and Argentinos de Chacarita: 0 wins for Círculo San Telmo, 2 draws and 0 for Argentinos de Chacarita.
Full Círculo San Telmo vs Argentinos de Chacarita head-to-head →
Círculo San Telmo (4-4-2): Yoel Bossi, Pancho Gordon, Ismael Sgarbi, Kevin Iriarte, Yago Stankovic, Aaron Beristain, José Romiti, Hernán Basili, Stefano Velázquez, Augusto Zimmermann, Rocco Pizarro.
Argentinos de Chacarita (4-4-2): Uriel Tellini, Joaco Tassinari, Xavier Visini, Leonardo Fernández, Gregorio Zunino, Camilo Zaffari, Diego Silvera, Rubén Ruiz, Cesar Molina, Osvaldo Aizpurua, Lautaro Bottura.
In Primera L - GBA Sur, Círculo San Telmo are in position 11 with 38 points; Argentinos de Chacarita are in position 14 with 33 points. See the full table
Círculo San Telmo, with 1,611 fans. Home ground: Estadio Círculo San Telmo.
Argentinos de Chacarita, with 1,681 fans. Home ground: Estadio Argentinos de Chacarita.
Next match for Círculo San Telmo: vs su proximo rival — Sunday 1 November at 01:00 GMT
Next match for Argentinos de Chacarita: 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.