Sarmiiento secured a 2-0 victory over Estudiantes de La Plata in the Clausura round six, played on 23 August 2026. The result places the hosts in an unexpected position against the league leaders. Estudiantes had opened their campaign with momentum, winning four of their first five matches, while Sarmiiento sat 11th with 16 points from 16 games.
Martinez gave Sarmiiento the lead in the 18th minute. The home side had been content to absorb pressure at that stage, letting Estudiantes work the ball into dangerous areas. By then, the visitors had already taken control of the tempo, but Sarmiiento's shape held firm. Martinez finished a counter-attack that caught Estudiantes cold.
The statistics tell a story of imbalance. Estudiantes enjoyed 76 per cent possession and launched 135 attacks compared to Sarmiiento's 47. Yet the visitors managed only one big chance created while the hosts produced three. And here's the thing about expected goals — they sat at 1.57 for Sarmiiento against 1.64 for Estudiantes, suggesting the quality of chances was not as far apart as the numbers of attacks implied.
Estudiantes' frustration boiled over in the second half. Correa received a penalty following a VAR decision in the 85th minute but could not convert. The miss changed the complexion of the match, turning a comfortable lead into something the home side had to protect. Several yellow cards followed as tensions rose, including one for Correa himself in the 82nd minute.
Sarmiiento managed the game after the goal. They brought on Castro in the 75th minute to see out the closing stages, while Estudiantes made five substitutions in an attempt to find an equaliser. The visitors pressed higher but could not break through the defensive line that had held so well throughout the first half.
The result means Estudiantes drop from the summit of the table, however temporarily. They remain top by points but have now faced a setback after their recent run of victories. Sarmiiento, meanwhile, extend their unbeaten run to four matches and move within striking distance of the teams above them.