Sarmiento Resistencia edged past Tucumán Central 1:0 in the Losers Stage - 7 fixture of the Torneo Federal A on 5 September. The result came after a match where both sides traded possession but neither could find a clear opening until the closing stages. By then the game had settled into a measured rhythm, neither team willing to overcommit.
The first half yielded little beyond midfield battles and occasional corners. Sarmiento held 64 per cent of the ball but their attacks rarely penetrated the final third. Tucumán Central sat deep, content to absorb pressure and look for transitions on the break.
And here's the thing — it took until the ninety-minute mark for the breakthrough. Pablo Martinez found the net from what appeared to be a well-worked move, giving Sarmiento the lead they had been seeking. The goal arrived as the match was winding down, which made it all the more significant.
To be fair, we had tipped the hosts to win at 52 per cent confidence before kickoff. The odds reflected a narrow advantage, and Sarmiento delivered exactly that — a single-goal margin that felt right for the contest. They had not been dominant, but they had been patient.
The statistics told a story of control without conversion. Sarmiento registered 146 attacks against 111 from their visitors, with 18 shots off target to 4. Both sides managed five shots on target, yet only one found the back of the net. The visitors earned just two corners compared to eleven for the hosts.
For Sarmiento, who sit eighth with six points from six games, the win breaks a run of three consecutive defeats. Tucumán Central remain ninth, still without a victory in seven matches. The gap between them at the bottom of the table stays at four points, and neither side has much room for error.