Unión decides its fate: direct qualification or an agonising 48-hour wait | OneFootball

The ninth round of the Liga Profesional de Fútbol Apertura Tournament will have a particular feature that makes it unique: it will, at the same time, be a makeup round and the close of the regular phase. That schedule, which was put on hold in March due to the strike called by the AFA, now returns with decisive weight, especially for Unión.

Unión, between opportunity and uncertainty

Unión reaches this stage after the draw against Vélez, a result that brought back positive feelings, but not mathematical certainty. Today it is in the qualification zone, but it still has not secured its place in the playoffs.

On Saturday from 6:45 p.m., at the 15 de Abril, it will host Talleres de Córdoba in a clash where both teams are playing for much more than three points.

For Unión, the equation is clear: if it wins, it qualifies.

But the scenario becomes more complicated if it does not. A draw or a loss would leave it waiting on other results, extending the decision until Monday.

A table on fire

The margin is minimal and the fight for the last tickets is red hot. This is what the decisive stretch of the table looks like:

5. Lanús — 23 pts — MP: 15 — GF/GA: 18:15 — GD: +3

6. San Lorenzo — 22 pts — MP: 15 — GF/GA: 13:12 — GD: +1

7. Independiente — 21 pts — MP: 15 — GF/GA: 22:19 — GD: +3

8. Unión

9. Defensa y Justicia — 19 pts — MP: 15 — GF/GA: 17:19 — GD: -2

10. Instituto — 18 pts — MP: 15 — GF/GA: 15:17 — GD: -2

Unión not only depends on itself, but could even climb positions. If it wins, and results go its way (Lanús losing to Riestra and Independiente and San Lorenzo drawing), it could even rise to fifth place.

But that is not the focus. The objective is just one: to qualify.

The decision stretches out for Unión

If Unión does not win, the anxiety will carry over to Monday. Only then will the curtain come down for everyone:

-Gimnasia de Mendoza vs. Defensa y Justicia (17:00)

-Estudiantes de Río Cuarto vs. Instituto (21:30)

Two matches that could change everything and would force Unión to watch from the outside what it could not settle on the field.

Talleres, a rival that gives nothing away

On the other side will be a team that will not give anything away either. Talleres is fighting to finish among the top four and secure home-field advantage in the round of 16. In other words, it arrives with needs of its own and its ambition intact. There will be no room for speculation.

Unión will have the setting in its favor. The 15 de Abril will witness a match full of tension, where every play can tip the balance of an entire campaign.

After an inconsistent tournament, with moments of good football but also setbacks that complicated its path, Leonardo Madelón’s team has one last chance to write the ending on its own terms.

Because in this kind of finish, there is one truth that never changes: the best thing is not to depend on anyone. On Saturday, Unión has the final say.

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