He gives himself, he gives his all, and perhaps because of that attitude he shows throughout the ninety minutes, the players leave with applause. However, It is difficult to meet objectives when you play with your heart in your mouth. There is a lack of temper, clarity, that which Juan Fernando Quintero provides, even in the vertigo. So, the draw that Racing rescues cuts the bleeding, but it is not enough for its fans – much less Gustavo Costas – to stay calm. He hasn’t won in four games and their performance is not only not enough to qualify for the quarterfinals of the League Cup; nor, to kindle the illusion.
Racing needs to come up with a better plan. He is voracious, intense, at times overwhelming, but he has difficulty finishing plays. This time, Quintero’s punch put out the fire, but the blow by blow that he proposes at a disadvantage It’s a coin toss. Defensa y Justicia struck first, supported by the hands of their goalkeeper Cristopher Fiermarin and the firmness of Santiago Ramos Mingo until an error by Víctor Aguilera left the Colombian facing a free kick with his own stamp, of course, but with some reminiscences of Rubén Walter Paz.
Had an infernal rhythm of the game, especially the first half. It was a back and forth that began with more action in the Racing field, but ended with more arrivals in the Defense and Justice area. There were 21 situations in that stage, but no goals. In the failures that both parties had when defining it, it was possible to explain that partial zero.
Now, just because it was a great show due to the emotions that occurred on the green grass does not mean that they played well. Costas changed the scheme, dismantling the line of three centre-backs and two full-backs launched into a 4-2-3-1 that showed a lot of dynamics, but little brilliance. With the exception of Quintero, and to a lesser extent Santiago Sosa, the rest was pure muscle and speed. Racing ran a lot, demanded with the pressure. He was overwhelming, but did not finish successfully in the final meters.
The problem was in the midfield, a deficit detected by Defensa y Justicia, which played behind Bruno Zuculini and Sosa and in front of Leonardo Sigali. In this context, Messrs. López (Kevin and Julián) set up the counterattacks and Gastón Togni stinged on the left, where Facundo Mura suffered in the retreat.
When the Hawk spread its wings, Academia I suffered. In the first ten minutes, without going any further, he had three chances under Arias’ sticks. Rodrigo Bogarín twice and Uvita Fernández failed in the final stitch.
They were moments of great confusion of Racing, which began to take shape and arrived four times. There was a shot by Quintero that Cristopher Fiermarín blocked. Later, Santiago Solari had two chances in which he showed that to be a great player he first needs to have coldness to finish. The winger himself, who started on the right and then turned to the left, left Adrián Martínez one-on-one. However, Wonderful was far from resolving according to his nickname.
There was more, of course. A header from Sosa coming off a corner that went over the crossbar; one from Luciano Herrera that failed under the goal; a shot from Julián López that Arias blocked with effort and another from Mura that found a great response from Fiermarín. Like two runaway boxers, Racing and Defensa y Justicia hit each other, but they didn’t hurt each other.
In the second half, Defensa y Justicia started better and it seemed that Racing was beginning to pay the bill for the effort it had made in the opening chapter. There was a disallowed goal Wonderful due to a millimeter advanced position by Salas.
And immediately, Arias covered a bomb from Uvita. Until Togni broke away, once again from the left, and the cross arrived and Ramos Mingo headed it powerfully. Assistant judge Diego Bonfa raised the flag, but the VAR corrected him.
“Movete, Racing, movete”, began to descend from the platform. Johan Carbonero and Juan Nardoni were already on the field. Leonel Miranda came in for Leonardo Sigali and Sosa came in behind. Costas was looking for a greater volume of play.
Racing locked him up in Defense and Justice. There was another disallowed goal for violation of Wonderful on Soto, just an instant before Mura nailed a left foot into the corner.
Fiermarin excelled against Carbonero, twice. But he couldn’t with Quintero’s magical left foot, who got a point that adds to the table, which impacts the spirit, but does not finish closing in a balance that is too lean.