Argentinian Semifinal Clash Sets Stage for Apertura Final Showdown
BUENOS AIRES (AP) — The opening match for the Argentine Apertura tournament final has been secured between Argentinos Juniors and Belgrano de Córdoba, following both teams' victories in their respective quarterfinal games on Tuesday.
The "Bicho" emerged victorious with a 1-0 win over Huracán in extra time, while the "Pirata" also triumphed at home, defeating Unió Nacional de Santa Fe 2-0.
The semifinal, originally scheduled for Saturday, will now take place at Estadio Diego Armando Maradona. Argentinos, who finished the regular season with the best home record, have remained unbeaten in 23 consecutive matches at their stadium.
The other semifinalists will be determined by Wednesday's fixtures between Rosario Central-Racing Club and River Plate-Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata.
In the La Paternal neighborhood, Argentinos celebrated early when Tomás Molina headed in the winning goal just four minutes into the first half. The regulation period ended goalless, forcing a dramatic extra-time showdown.
Argentinos' coach Nicolás Diez praised his team's resilience after overcoming a tough Huracán side that had eliminated Boca Juniors from the competition in a thrilling match at La Bombonera.
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In additional coverage, the "Globo" team struggled to replicate their early dominance against Huracán's resilient defense, despite a powerful header from Leandro Lozano. Key contributions came from Uruguayan goalkeeper Brayan Cortés, whose three saves kept Huracán within striking distance before Molina sealed the victory for Argentinos.
Belgrano secured a crucial 2-0 win against Unió Nacional de Santa Fe through second-half goals from Adrián Sánchez and a late stoppage-time strike by young forward Ramiro Hernández. The result solidified their position as one of Córdoba's football powerhouses, just two points shy of their first league title.
Veteran striker Emiliano Rigoni and playmaker Franco "Mudo" Vázquez provided crucial assists in both goals, while Armenian international Lucas "Chino" Zelarayén delivered a standout performance for Belgrano. Captain Lisandro López expressed pride in his squad's collective effort, though he acknowledged the challenge ahead against Argentinos in the semifinals.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on how these teams navigate the high-stakes semifinal round, with the ultimate goal of reaching the Apertura final.
