For Unión, the draw feels like a win, they go top and secure a playoff spot | OneFootball

Unión, riding high after two consecutive wins, faced a key match for playoff qualification this Saturday against Barracas Central in Santa Fe for Matchday 15 of the Clausura. Tate wasn’t sharp and drew 0-0, sealing their qualification for the playoffs for the first time in their history.

The first half played by Unión and Barracas Central was truly very poor, to the point that the goals were unnecessary. Both Matias Tagliamonte and Marcelo Miño were mere spectators, as the match was grotesque, full of struggle and devoid of play.

Unión tried to create chances through the partnership on the right between Lautaro Vargas and Julián Palacios, but they lacked finishing. The crosses ended up being cleared by Guapo’s defensive block, which defended with many players and a line of five defenders. Unión’s strikers were well controlled, and on top of that, Marcelo Estigarribia was too static, while Agustín Colazo was the one who tried the most.

This time, Mateo Del Blanco didn’t make an impact, as he was too contained, and Nicolás Palavecino made more mistakes than good plays. In the midfield, Mauro Pittón had a tidy first half, but not so for Mauricio Martínez, who struggled to make use of his good foot, as Barracas constantly tried to disrupt the play and succeeded.

Unión was never able to set the pace of the match, once again showing that they struggle a lot when the opponent sits back. As such, they lacked surprise and ended up repeating crosses that were well neutralized by the visitors. From midfield back, Unión didn’t suffer, looked organized, and the center backs dominated Bruera, who was the only target man. The 0-0 reflected what was a very poor first half between a team that tried but never found the way, and another that did its business by waiting and slowing down the game.

The second half between Unión and Barracas Central

The start of the second half was similar to the first, though with a bit more rhythm. Barracas did everything possible to break up the play and had the complicity of Darío Herrera, who allowed and approved everything. Tate controlled the ball, but without depth and at times overused long balls that were easily dealt with by the visiting defense.

In that context, the one who benefited was Guapo, who was doing his business and wasn’t troubled. The match was constantly interrupted, which hurt Unión. Only at the 23rd minute did Leonardo Madelón make changes, bringing on Cristian Tarragona, Augusto Solari, and Franco Fragapane for Estigarribia, Palacios, and Palavecino.

Seconds later, Solari, with his first touch of the ball, shot from mid-range and the ball crashed against the right post of Barracas’ goal. It was Unión’s and the match’s clearest chance to open the scoring.

At the 31st minute, Tate threatened again, with a cross from Mateo Del Blanco that Solari received inside the box, controlled with his chest, and shot at goal. Rodrigo Insúa made a crucial block to send the ball out for a corner. At 35', Unión almost scored after Mauro Pittón shot left-footed from outside the box and Miño flew to send the ball out for a corner.

By that point, Unión deserved to be winning, as they had improved in the second half and the substitutions had brought new energy. Near the end, Barracas almost surprised with a corner that Valentín Fascendini cleared. There was no time for more, except for a wayward shot from Insúa. The match fizzled out in an atmosphere of extreme mediocrity. A draw that suits both teams, in a match that will quickly be forgotten. For Unión, the point is useful considering the opponent and everything that comes with playing against Barracas Central, and for collecting seven points from the last nine.

Hence the final applause from the fans, recognizing the team’s effort, which leaves them top of Zone A with 24 points and qualified for the playoffs.

Lineups for Unión and Barracas Central

Unión: Matías Tagliamonte; Lautaro Vargas, Maizon Rodríguez, Valentín Fascendini, and Mateo Del Blanco; Nicolás Palavecino, Mauricio Martínez, Mauro Pittón, Julián Palacios; Agustín Colazo and Marcelo Estigarribia. Coach: Leonardo Madelón.

Barracas Central: Marcelo Miño; Rafael Barrios, Nicolás Capraro, Fernando Tobio, Yonathan Rak, and Rodrigo Insúa; Dardo Miloc, Iván Tapia, and Siro Rosane; Javier Ruiz and Facundo Bruera. Coach: Rubén Darío Insúa.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.