Estudiantes With a One Goal Stunner, to Meet Inter in the Final Match.

By: Mauro | November 21st, 2008

Well, this one certainly wasn’t the best semi-final I’ve seen. But Estudiantes did what they had to do, not unlike Chelsea vs. Liverpool (circa 2007 CL semi-finals) in my mind, by holding Argentinos with a unattractive defensive stance for most of the match while the visitors tried, wildly at times, to get the single goal that could get them into the final match.

With just one goal Argentinos’ chances to get into the Final match were high and with the good work by Mauro Bogado on the right and Sergio Escudero on the left, they tried from all sides.

Hauche and Pavlovich were as sharp as usual, on plays their side generated and plays they were able to create on their own. Pavlovich had an opportunity to get his side ahead but Estudiantes keeper Mariano Andujar was able to keep it out. But that wasn’t all. There was more. Mostly crosses into the box but at least they were trying. In the 26th, Bogado had a free kick go just wide off the defensive wall.

Estudiantes took it slow. So slow that they had their first real opportunity to score in the 35th minute. You see, Estudiantes was playing a counter attacking and very defensive style, not giving up anything. So it was near the end, after a great header by Cristian Cellay, that Juan Sebastián Verón and Diego Galvan had probably their closest chance to score of the night.

After a fantastic play by Verón, who took a hard shot which Argentinos keeper Sebastián Torrico had to work hard to keep out. But Torrico was unable to hold onto it and the rebound went to Galván who blasted the ball over the crossbar and into orbit from an unbelievable position.

The second half was more of the same. Argentinos came on like gangbusters but flung one too many crosses into the penalty area with their next near miss coming off a dead ball situation. Bogado again with the free kick to Andrés Scotti who was unable to connect a header from point blank range.

Estudiantes coach Leonardo Astrada dusted off 38-year old José Luis Calderón from the bench and sent him on in place of Juan Salgueiro, a substitution that would define the match only minutes from then.

A few moments later, Torrico had to save Argentinos again when Estudiantes came up on the counter, Argentinos had gone balls-to-the-wall on offense and often left themselves unprotected at the back, and after a blast of a shot by Mauro Boselli, he blocked the shot out to the touchline.

The ensuing corner kick brought about another corner that was taken by Leandro Benítez from the left and Calderón, who had just come on, headed the ball into the net from between Sergio Escudero and Matías Caruzzo. 1-0 to Estudiantes and the delirium began in the Estadio Unico de La Plata.

After the goal, Estudiantes was able to hold Argentinos easily since they ended up with only 10 men on the pitch after defender Franco Quiroga was sent off in the 80th minute. Argentinos tried to make it happen near the end, a 1-1 draw would force penalties, but Hauche and Pavlovich’s attempts were stymied by a very stubborn and tactically refined Estudiantes defense.

Final Score: 1-0 to Estudiantes. El Pincha gets into an international final match for the first time in over 30 years. Much like their run to the Argentine 06 Apertura over Boca, no one expected them to win it but their heart showed near the end and they made it happen.

I had this one going 2-1 to Estudiantes and while Hauche and Pavlovich did make the night a tough one for the Estudiantes back line, they did hold them to 0 goals. Estudiantes play a butt ugly match and you know, we deserve better. They can play some nice football, just look at their opener against Independiente. Let’s hope they come out to play and not just try to smother D’Alessandro, Alex, Nilmar and co.

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.