Sipolletti and Atenas played out a 2:2 draw in the Winners Stage of the Torneo Federal A on 23 August. The match, staged at Sipolletti's ground, finished level after both sides found the net twice. By then the visitors had already established themselves as the stronger side in the table, sitting third with ten points from five games. The hosts, fifth with eight points, could not hold on despite their dominance in possession.
A. Mainero opened the scoring in the 43rd minute, giving the home side a half-time lead. Atenas responded almost immediately after the break, with M. Peralta finding the net in the 59th minute to level matters. Just five minutes later F. Quiroga restored Sipolletti's advantage, and for a while it looked as though the hosts would claim all three points. The support of the fans could be called devoted, but that is an assessment, not a fact. The fact is that the club sits top of the table
Atenas refused to accept the result and pulled one back through N. Trejo in the 84th minute. The equaliser came late enough to leave both sides with little time to regroup. Sipolletti had several substitutions available — G. Lucero, E. Gomez, M. Vera, and others — but could not find a winner. The visitors also brought on M. Dominguez and L. Vella in the 69th minute, perhaps sensing blood when the score was still 2:1. They turned it around after the break, but this time there was no closing out.
The statistics tell a story of control without conversion. Sipolletti enjoyed 58 per cent possession and registered 26 attacks compared to nine from Atenas. They won 19 corners to five and had six shots on target, yet could only score twice. Atenas managed just three shots on target from nine attacks but converted their opportunities with precision. The visitors also had eight shots off target, suggesting they were willing to take risks when it mattered.
The result leaves Atenas three points clear at third place, still ahead of Sipolletti despite the draw. Both sides have played five matches, but the visitors have won three compared to Sipolletti's two. The hosts have now gone unbeaten in their last five league games, though this draw extends a run without victory. The table goes out of the window in these games, but points accumulated matter when the season尾声 approaches.
