Atlético Torque held on for a 2:1 victory over Tigre in the Round of 16 of the Sudamericana Cup on Wednesday. The hosts took the lead through S. Rodriguez before the break, then added a second after the red card dismissed N. Banegas. V. Moreno had given Tigre a narrow advantage, but the visitors could not protect it.
M. Mendez thought he had given Tigre the lead in the tenth minute, but the goal was cancelled by VAR for offside. S. Rodriguez levelled matters shortly after, and V. Moreno restored the visitors' advantage within two minutes. Banegas was sent off just before half-time, and Rodriguez converted the resulting penalty to put Atlético Torque ahead.
Atlético Torque kept Tigre in it for a while after the dismissal, but the visitors never quite found their rhythm. The hosts registered four shots on target against three, and their expected goals figure of 1.43 told a different story from the final score. Tigre dominated possession at 57 per cent but created fewer clear-cut opportunities.
Atlético Torque made changes to see out the game, bringing on E. Busquets and G. Montes in the second half. Tigre responded with three substitutions around the hour mark, trying to find an equaliser. The hosts saw another goal ruled out for offside in the eightieth minute, but Tigre could not break through.
The result keeps Atlético Torque top of the group with 13 points from six games. Tigre remain second on nine points, but the red card and the away goal situation make their path to the next round tighter. The hosts will need to keep their defensive shape if they are to progress.