Racing could not break Platense and in the end settled for a draw

There was no push for Racing after the victory in the classic against Independiente and in a flat and forgettable duel tied without goals against Platense.

One gear less. That was what Racing showed in the first stage against Platense, a team that looked renewed in energy after the arrival of Favio Orsi and Sergio Gomez, the technical duo that only commanded one practice before jumping to compete on Vicente López’s night. Coach Gustavo Costas chose to give Juan Fernando Quintero a rest and that absence, how could it be otherwise, was noticed. One fact: The Academy did not kick the goal in the initial stage, despite maintaining possession at almost 70 percent.

Racing lacked ideas and freshness. Baltasar Rodríguez was the one who made the move Juanfer. But the youth had a hard time finding his space on the court and the Academy then repeated itself in long balls for Adrián Martínez and Maximiliano Salas. Anyway, it is clarified, it is not a game that Racing denies: this is how it complicated Independiente in the Avellaneda classic. What happened is that Platense’s line of 5 defenders was firm and in just one run he was able to complicate Maravilla, although the play ended without a clear shot.

And Platense ran and surrendered. Orsi-Gómez opted for a defensive scheme (5-4-1), but with two vertical midfielders on the wings, Luciano Ferreyra and Lucas Ocampo. The idea was none other than to play on the counterattack. And she had a clear Squidthe only one in the initial stage: Ronaldo Martínez brought it down in the area and Ocampo’s shot went over the crossbar.

It was a first stage from poor to very poor, with few risky plays and little associated play. The ball spent more time in the air than on the players’ feet, an issue that is already beginning to become common in local soccer. There wasn’t much to highlight, then. Some hint of Agustín Almendra, that midfielder who knew how to shine in Boca and who is slowly returning to his level. And nothing more. That is why Costas did not hesitate to send Quintero and Roger Martínez to the field for the second half.

Racing continued to play poorly in the complement, but it had another hierarchy on the field and due to the weight of individualities it created more danger. It is insisted, anyway: football did not flow to him. Juanfer started with enthusiasm, although he quickly retreated to play closer to the center backs than the attackers. The Colombian loses firepower starting from so far back. The income of Roger Martinezwhich was participatory floating behind Maravilla.

From a meeting between the two academic attackers came the clearest news of the night: Roger made a nice pass for Maravilla, who was face to face with Juan Pablo Cozzani and his definition went centimeters from the left post. The culmination of the former Institute was similar to one he did before Newell’s, except that this time luck was not on his side.

A little while before that, Maravilla had gotten together with Gabriel Rojas to make Cozzani work. After all, those two were the most dangerous in the Academy. Too little for a team that wants to be the protagonist of the Cup.

Platense clung to the point and defended it with strength and intelligence. He did not allow Juanfer to weigh in and as the minutes passed he managed to control Roger better. For the delivery, the team left applauded.

Squid had its chances, more a product of rival errors than of its own collective constructions. In one, Ronaldo Martínez scored a goal after a dirty play with many rebounds and the ball went close. In the other, Gabriel Arias went far but the entered Mateo Pellegrino could not comb the goal and the ball went far.

In the final minutes, the fatigue of the tight schedule was noticeable: 8 dates will be played in just over a month. The feeling was that they could play long minutes and that the goal was not going to come. So the 0-0 was fair. And they both left satisfied.