Estudiantes Earn a Draw in La Paternal, Just Barely.

By: Mauro | November 14th, 2008

While this match didn’t have the dance I hoped it would have, it was a hard nosed match with plenty of fight, rough play and lots of complaints to the ref, which, in the end, was a testament to how badly both sides wanted this match that each was willing to fight tooth and nail to get it.

After suffering through many years of five promotions to the top flight and life in the B Nacional, tonight’s match was a type of rebirth for the Argentinos faithful. Many present considered tonight’s match to be the club’s most important in their last ten years.

Estudiantes took some time to get used to the size of the pitch. Smaller than the Estadio Unico in La Plata – site of the second leg of this series – once the visitors settled in, they controlled much of the first half. Meanwhile, the home side had trouble getting comfortable and the idea of competing in an international Semi-final had the squad looking very nervous.

With a sloppy but mobile Gabriel Hauche up front, an MIA Néstor Ortigoza and a Juan Mercier who had trouble breaking his markers, Argentinos never quite settled in or figured out the defensive puzzle Estudiantes put in front of them. But still, the home side had some possession but Estudiantes was decidedly more organized.

Playing at the beat of Juan Sebastián Verón’s liking, Estudiantes pretty much dominated Argentinos and the stadium’s collective heart stopped whenever Leandro Benitez had the ball and crossed it into the penalty area. The only Argentinos player creating any kind of danger was Sergio Escudero, the left back. Yes, the left back was far more dangerous to Estudiantes than the strikers or midfielders.

And in the 27th minute, Estudiantes went ahead. Off a corner taken by Estudantes midfielder Leandro Benitez, Agustín Alayes connected in the center of the area, completely unmarked but his header slammed into the penalty area, Argentinos keeper Sebastián Torrico leaped but didn’t get a hand on it, and the ball went into the net off Torrico’s back. An own goal. 1-0 to Estudiantes.

Most of the Argentinos defense was much more preoccupied with grabbing and pulling on Estudiantes offensive players instead of being more strategic and careful with the marking. This allowed Alayes to get off a hell of a header at point blank range.

In the second half, Argentinos had to react. And it was going to be easier than they had expected since Verón had to be subbed off at the half due to a knock to his leg. As a result, Argentinos were able to steamroll Estudiantes in the first moments. So much so, that they equalized only two minutes into the second half.

Carlos Recalde took a free kick Argentinos were awarded and the ball met Mercier who stomped into the penalty area all by his lonesome and drilled the ball into the bottom right corner past the keeper. 1-1 and it seemed we had another match from the one in the first half.

Ortigoza came to and he and Mercier drove the team forward and earned Argentinos more possibilities to score and crosses. Dear God, were there crosses in this one. Almost as many arguments towards the ref, as there were crosses. But referee Alejandro Sabino did have a terrible night.

To add more controversy, Nicolás Pavlovich had a header off a cross by Mauro Bogado get past the Estudiantes keeper, Mariano Andújar, but he reached back and pulled it off the line. The home side and the entire stadium came down on the ref and they swear it was past the goal line but it was called a save by Andújar.

Without Verón, Estudiantes seemed to deflate in the second half, having only one true opportunity to score near the end of the match, but keeper Torrico was able to keep it out. And with the red card for Leandro Desábato in the 28th minute, Estudiantes decided they would hold on, for dear life, for the draw. Red Card to Estudiantes.

At this point, Estudiantes began to play the counter attack with Benitez’ precise passing and Mauro Boselli’s speed but nothing really came of it. Argentinos had settled in and was able to control Estudiantes advances into their territory.

Final Score: 1-1. No winners.

I had this match going to Argentinos 2-1 and I was almost right if the ball had only crossed the line. Estudiantes was as organized as I thought and the rough play from both sides was enough to break any team’s concentration. Boselli did not score.

It has been well over two decades for both these clubs to be in this stage of any international competition so look for them to take each other apart in the next match. And by next match, I don’t mean the one they’ll play at the Maradona on Sunday, I mean the one in one week’s time.

Feel free to check the CONMEBOL website for results and information about upcoming matches and for those of you in need of a bracket to get your heads around the competition, get an updated one here.