Leaders Vélez face struggling Gimnasia de Mendoza, aim to stay top | OneFootball

El Fortín is looking to reaffirm its lead after an unexpected setback, while the Mendoza-based Lobo needs points to climb off the bottom. They will face off this Friday in Mendoza in a match with plenty at stake.

This Friday, the Víctor Antonio Legrotaglie Stadium will be the stage where Gimnasia y Esgrima de Mendoza hosts league leaders Vélez Sarsfield in another round of the Torneo Apertura. The Mendoza side is desperate for points to move away from the lower end of the table, while El Fortín will try to hold on to the top spot after a recent stumble.

The team managed by Darío Franco is going through a difficult spell. They sit in 13th place in Group A with just 9 points, and although they have shown moments of defensive solidity, their main problem is a lack of goals: they have scored only 6 times in 11 matches. After a narrow defeat to Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario, the Lobo knows that being strong at home will be key to starting to turn things around.

As for Vélez Sarsfield, the team coached by Guillermo Barros Schelotto comes in as the leader of Group A with 22 points. With a clear playing style and an effective attack (12 goals scored), El Fortín wants to put the loss to Lanús behind them and get back to winning ways. They are also coming off a solid away victory over Platense, which boosts their confidence on the road.

The match will be played this Friday starting at 15:00 (Argentina time) and will be broadcast live on TNT Sports. It will be a clash between sides in very different situations, but with the same need: to pick up points and move closer to their respective goals in the tournament.

The officiating crew will be led by Álvaro Carranza, with Gabriel Chade and José Castelli serving as assistant referees, while Agustín Vegetti will be the fourth official. Adrián Franklin and Carlos Córdoba will be on VAR.

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