Arsenal vs Defensa y Justicia
Sarandi Arsenal are virtually condemned to return to the second tier. Last Monday, the team put up a good fight on their visit to Atletico Tucuman, but they couldn’t avoid a 1-0 away defeat. They made it four consecutive defeats and five across six rounds in the Copa Liga Profesional, winning only once in this competition. Accumulating only three points, El Viaducto remain bottom in the aggregate rankings and in the point-average table. In fact, they could even get relegated this weekend if they fail to win and Instituto claim a victory. At home, Arsenal lost four of their last six, along with two successes.
Defensa y Justicia couldn’t handle coach Julio Vaccari’s decision to rest all his regulars in a good way last weekend: the 2-1 away defeat at CA Central Cordoba put an end to their five-match unbeaten streak of two victories and three draws in the Copa Liga Profesional and keeps them on nine points in group B, into the playoff zone. In other news, El Halcon remain occupying one of the Copa Libertadores’ spots in the aggregate table, but just two points over fifth-placed Boca Juniors at the moment. On away turf, Defensa are winless in their last four league games, with two stalemates and two losses in that stretch.
Defensa lost midweek at Ecuador 0-3 in the 1st leg of the Copa Sudamericana semifinals, so with the return game in just a few days they will use again only reserves in this match. Arsenal is completely hopeless and they know they will be relegated soon, so with not much to play for I expect an open game here with goals.