San Martín de Formosa claimed a 2-1 victory over Sol de América in the opening round of the Winners Stage in the Torneo Federal A on Saturday evening. The result keeps both sides level on points at the summit of the table, though the home side now holds the edge on goal difference after the late drama.
San Martín took an early surprise when F. Rojas turned against his own side in the sixth minute, a moment that set the tone for an uneven contest. Sol de América responded with pressure but could not find an equaliser until the final moments, when F. Monin converted a penalty in stoppage time. The visitors had already seen one player dismissed by then, a red card in the 90th minute that changed everything.
The match itself offered little in the way of clean football, with both sides struggling to string passes together. San Martín launched 129 attacks to Sol de América's 137, yet the visitors registered just two shots off target compared to the hosts' ten. Possession sat at 47 per cent for San Martín, and the statistics told a familiar story: plenty of work without the reward.
R. Lopez Alba came on for San Martín in the 65th minute, one of the few tactical adjustments of note. The home side had lost their last outing against Sarmiiento Resistencia but bounced back after three games without a win, a run that included a goalless draw with Juventud Antoniana. Sol de América, meanwhile, arrived having lost two of their last five, including this fixture in June.
Both sides now sit on 13 points from six matches, with four wins, one draw and one defeat each. The gap between them remains minimal, and any advantage gained here will be tested in the rounds ahead. For now, the table says little more than that these two are running together, and neither has room to breathe.
