Juvenutud saw off Racing Club Montevideo 3-0 in the Uruguayan Cup Group Stage - 3 on Wednesday evening. The home side made it three wins from three in the group, while Racing's hopes of progression took a serious blow. And here's the thing — you don't need possession stats to see who controlled that game.
B. Larregui opened the scoring in the 27th minute, finishing a move that had been building since the 20th. To be fair, Juvenutud had been probing for space all afternoon, and when the chance came, he didn't hesitate. Racing's defence looked disjointed, players not tracking back with any urgency.
A. Cruz doubled the advantage just before half-time, catching Racing on the break. By then the visitors had lost their shape entirely, and the goal was inevitable. Three corners to eight tells you everything about who was pressing and who was retreating, though that's hardly the point.
F. Mimbacas put the result beyond doubt in the 84th minute, completing the rout. Juvenutud had 116 attacks against Racing's 107, but quality over quantity won the day. The visitors managed just two corners all evening.
The statistics confirm what was obvious on the pitch. Juvenutud held 60 percent possession, won more throw-ins and corners, and didn't need a single red card to make their point. Racing drew three yellows and couldn't answer back.
We had tipped Racing away at 37 per cent confidence before kickoff. The prediction was wrong, and not because of luck — they simply weren't there. The match was decided before the first goal, in the way these teams approached the game.
Juvenutud sit on nine points from three games now, with a healthy goal difference to back it up. Racing's position in the group is less certain, and they'll need something special in the final fixture.
