Unión, all or nothing: Atenas’ huge win forces a survival final | OneFootball

Unión, which needed Atenas to lose in order to secure its place in the National League, will have to keep waiting. “El Griego” won in Formosa.

The battle to stay in the National League has reached its most intense point, and Unión is now at the center of the scene. Atenas de Córdoba’s 84-82 win over La Unión de Formosa changed the outlook and left “El Tate” needing to put everything on the line in the final round.

The Córdoba team did what it had to do: win at all costs. And it pulled it off in dramatic fashion, with standout performances from Luciano González (20 points), Danjel Purifoy (18 and 10 rebounds), and Juan Cruz Oberto (17). That kept alive its hopes of avoiding the playout.

Unión, with no margin for error

With this result, Unión is under pressure. After the loss to Ferro, the red-and-white side will have to decide its fate this Sunday at Ángel Malvicino, when it hosts San Martín de Corrientes.

The equation is clear: it needs to win so it won’t depend on anyone else and can secure its place without any drama.

The relegation scenario

The format leaves no room for doubt: the teams that finish 18th and 19th will play the relegation playout, a best-of-five series that will decide one team’s drop to Liga Argentina.

Argentino de Junín is already condemned to last place, so the other spot will be decided between Unión and Atenas.

What Atenas needs

“El Griego” still depends on a combination of results: it must beat Oberá Tenis Club away in the final round and hope for a Unión loss in Santa Fe.

If that happens, Atenas will avoid the playout and leave “El Tate” in a critical situation.

A final at the Malvicino

The outcome will be all or nothing. Unión will have the pressure of its fans, but also the chance to decide its fate at home.

After the blow of Atenas’ victory, the margin has shrunk to the bare minimum. There are no more calculations or speculation: “El Tate” will have to deliver on the court.

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