CASI claimed a comprehensive 50-17 victory over Los Matoros in Argentina's Top-12 competition on Friday night. The hosts made no mistake against a side that has struggled for consistency this season. It was a result that reflected the gulf in form between the two teams. By then, the pattern was already clear from their recent meetings.
CASI arrive at this fixture with momentum on their side. They have won four of their last five matches, including a 47-13 demolition of Atlético del Rosario and a 45-15 victory over La Plata. Their only blemish was a narrow 15-33 defeat to Los Tilos two weeks ago. Things came to a head when they turned it on against Los Matoros.
Los Matoros, meanwhile, have had a difficult run. They have lost four of their last five outings, including heavy defeats to Newman 69-3 and SIK 62-26. Their sole win came against Atlético del Rosario 38-28, but even that did not prevent them from falling apart after that moment. The support of the fans could be called devoted, but that is an assessment, not a fact.
The final score tells you everything about how the match unfolded. CASI scored at will, while Los Matoros managed only seventeen points in response. One mistake ends it when you are playing a side this clinical. The high line was picked apart, and the hosts did not give anything away in defence.
This result extends CASI's winning streak and deepens Los Matoros' troubles. The table goes out of the window in these games, but form matters when you are fighting for position. The market has overreacted to the favourite, but tonight's performance was no fluke.