Estudiantes, the Pincharrata, continues to party! Last Sunday, May 5, the team from La Plata lifted Argentina’s Professional League Cup of the first part of 2024 in a fierce and heart-stopping match against Velez Sarsfield, the Fortin.
Oh, football, the beautiful game.
Even though the Pincha couldn’t win the match in 90 minutes, they were crowned champions after they drew 1-1 in 90 minutes and defeated the Fortin on penalties in the stadium Madre de Ciudades in the province of Santiago del Estero.
To top it off, with this victory, Eduardo Domínguez’s team also matched the number of titles their current rival has: 16, a key figure in the fight to become the sixth most successful in Argentine football.
Estudiantes De La Plata Road To Victory
The La Plata team qualified for the playoffs without much trouble, finishing second in Zone B with 27 points. After qualifying, they easily defeated Barracas Central in the quarter-finals: it was 3-0, with a brace from Guido Carillo and a goal from Javier Correa.
After that victory, Pincha suffered a setback in the Copa Libertadores, losing 1-0 to Gremio at home. Despite the defeat, Dominguez’s team managed to turn the page quickly and recovered at the best moment. In the semi-final against Boca Juniors, that was arriving with a lot of confidence after winning the Superclasico against River Plate.
Although they started losing, El Pincha managed to recover and eliminate the Xeneize. The game opened up for Estudiantes after Christian Lema’s absurd penalty, where he kicked Tiago Palacios in the face inside the area and was expelled. Edwuin Cetré converted the penalty into a goal, and despite not winning in the 90′, Estudiantes did so from the twelve steps.
The great hero in Córdoba was goalkeeper Matías Mansilla, who blocked the shots of Edinson Cavani and Nicolás Figal. With the goals of Mancuso, Carrillo, and Méndez, they secured their place in the final.
The team from La Plata lifted the League Cup last year after winning against Defensa y Justicia in the neighborhoods of Lanus. They count 10 local tournaments and 4 League Cups. The rest of Estudiantes’ history comprises international embroidered stars: it won the Libertadores four times (1968, 1969, 1970, and 2000), the Intercontinental in 1968, and the Interamericana in 1969.
Also Read: Argentina’s Professional League to kick off this Friday: Why is it Important for Boca Juniors?
Velez Sarsfield Brilliant Tournament
El Fortín was one of the championship revelations. Despite a poor start, those led by Gustavo Quinteros managed to recover in time, and after a good final sprint, they got among the top four of Zone A. They ended the first phase in fourth place, with 25 units.
After the classification, Vélez faced Godoy Cruz -the leader of Group B- in the quarter-finals. There, the team from Liniers pulled off a surprise and beat Tomba 2-1 with a double from Braian Romero in a heart-stopping finale.
In the semi-final, they starred in a new upset: despite playing with one less player for more than 75 minutes, they managed to resist and reach penalties against Argentinos Juniors. In the decisive round, goalkeeper Tomás Marchiori became a hero by blocking Luciano Gondou’s shot, and subsequently, Lenny Lobato scored his to give Fortín the qualification.
Estudiantes Lifts Once Again The Professional League Cup
The League Cup, that endless joy, went to Estudiantes. The Pincharrata fought until the end. It did not give up when the match seemed to be slipping away because it never stopped believing. Thus, in short, they built its great history, and therefore, once again, it added greatness to its greatness.
Now Estudiantes match Vélez (honors to the boys of the Fortín, a very worthy rival from beginning to end) as the sixth most successful in the history of Argentine football, with 16 titles each.
El Pincha is once again the new king of the Argentine playoff cup. The sixth most successful in Argentina’s soccer history, along with Vélez. The club has just enhanced the legend of Juan Sebastian Verón (now also a champion as president, in his third term). The Pincha of Bilardo, of Zubeldía, of Sabella, of Russo, of Manera, of Simeone… now, the Pincha of Domínguez.
Teams Formation In The Final
Estudiantes de La Plata
Coach: Eduardo Dominguez
Team: Matías Mansilla; Eros Mancuso, Luciano Lollo, Zaid Romero, Gastón Benedetti; José Sosa, Enzo Pérez, Santiago Ascacibar; Tiago Palacios, Edwin Cetré y Guido Carrillo.
Velez Sarsfield
Coach: Gustavo Quintero
Team: Tomás Marchiori; Joaquín García, Damián Fernández, Valentín Gómez, Elías Gómez, Christian Ordóñez, Agustín Bouzat; Francisco Pizzini, Claudio Aquino, Thiago Fernández; Thiago Vecino.
Thoughts On Argentina’s Leagues
There is a debate in Argentina about whether the League Cup should be counted as an additional star, that is, as another local tournament. A league cup is not the same as a local league.
It cannot carry the same weight in the tournament count, a 17-match competition with play-offs, that is, a cup, then a championship where everyone plays against everyone and the best wins.
Is Estudiantes the new league champion, or is it just the champion of a league cup, while River Plate remains the reigning champion of the local championship?
Anyway, the vibrant final of the Professional League Cup between the champion Estudiantes and the runner-up Vélez is still beating. But as the wheel of football never stops, it always seems that the best is yet to come.
Don’t miss out. This Friday, May 10, the championship starts in Argentina with three matches, the first stretch of just five dates of the Professional League Championship.
The tournament of 28 teams in a single wheel will stop after Wednesday, June 12, and will restart on the weekend of July 20 and 21. In between, there will be room for a FIFA date and then the dispute of the Copa América in the United States, and maybe more information on Lionel Messi’s possible retirement.
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