Belgrano vs Estudiantes
Belgrano produced a decent campaign in the Liga Profesional in general terms, but it got worse in the latest weeks. The scoreless home stalemate against Rosario Central in round 27 means El Pirata are on six league games without a win, drawing two and losing four in that spell. Having accumulated 36 points in that competition, Guillermo Farre’s men are close to securing their top-flight status for next season. On a sorry note, Belgrano are winless in their last three at home, having secured a single point from nine available. On August 3, the team beat fourth-tier side Claypole 1-0 in the Copa Argentina second round. Pablo Vegetti (sold to Vasco da Gama, Brazil) and Bruno Zapelli (Athletico Paranaense, Brazil) waved goodbye this winter.
Estudiantes took a massive 3-2 away success at Argentinos Juniors in the Liga Profesional round 27 to keep it up on their fight to clinch a continental ticket. Following their second consecutive victory in league action, El Pincha climbed into fifth place of the aggregate table on 45 points, trailing Lanus (who occupy the last Copa Libertadores’ berth) just by goals scored so far. In fact, Estudiantes stopped a five-match winless streak of three stalemates and two losses on the road in domestic action. Afterwards, they also advanced to the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals by beating Brazil’s Goias EC via a 5-0 aggregate result.
It’s going to be a new era for Belgrano without the league’s top scorer Pablo Vegetti who left the club, so I’ll go here with the more solid Estudiantes who are preparing for next week’s Copa Sudamericana Quarterfinals.