Resistencia SC — Deportivo Santani: 1:2, Division Intermedia

Deportivo Santani secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Resistencia in the Divingon Intermedio's 26th round on Saturday. The result moves the visitors further clear at the top of the table while Resistencia remain rooted in ninth place after yet another disappointing result.

To be fair, the hosts dominated much of the early exchanges with 48 per cent possession and 118 attacks compared to just 67 from their visitors. They fired 10 shots on target but could not find the breakthrough, content to probe around the edges rather than commit numbers forward.

And here's the thing about the 53rd minute: E. Villalba finally made them pay for that caution. The away striker showed patience in the box before slotting home, and suddenly the visitors were in control of the narrative. Resistencia had to respond and they tried, but the goal changed everything.

The match turned ugly in the closing stages. A red card in the 92nd minute left Resistencia with nine men, and Deportivo Santani did not hesitate. By then they had learned their lesson, and the penalty converted in the 93rd minute looked like a formality. Resistencia deservedly pulled one back in the 98th minute to salvage something from the evening.

The statistics tell an interesting story. Resistencia outshot their opponents 10-5 on target but only scored once after conceding twice. That is the definition of a game decided by moments rather than sustained pressure. We had called for an away win with 43 per cent confidence, and the result vindicated that assessment.

Deportivo Santani now extend their lead at the summit with 51 points from 26 games. Their recent form has been impressive, and this result shows they can grind out results when not at their best. Resistencia's three consecutive defeats leave them staring at a mid-table drift that could become a problem.