Estudiantes de Río Corto and Banfield played out a 0:0 draw in the Clausura third round of the Argentine Professional League on Friday evening. The match ended without a goal after a tactical encounter where both sides camped in their own half for much of the time. The result keeps Estudiantes in 15th place with five points from 16 games, while Banfield remain in 12th on 18 points.
Estudiantes started brighter, controlling 57 per cent of possession and registering 136 attacks compared to Banfield's 89. They created one big chance but could not convert, while their goalkeeper made two saves from the visitors' three shots on target. Banfield's expected goals figure of 1.01 suggested they had the better opportunities despite their lower possession.
The match grew tighter after the hour mark, with Estudiantes making three substitutions in quick succession. Y. Moreno came on at 57 minutes, followed by G. Gonzalez at 68 and G. Alanis at 79. Banfield responded with changes of D. Zalazar at 64, B. Sepulveda at 73, and S. Lopez at 82. Both managers seemed reluctant to risk anything as the game approached its final stages.
Discipline was tested late on, with Estudiantes' Sergio Ojeda booked in stoppage time for a late challenge. Ignacio Hesar also received a yellow card in the 69th minute for a tactical foul that halted a Banfield counter-attack. The visitors made more tackles (24 to 16) and won more aerial duels in the final third, but could not find a way through Estudiantes' defence.
Estudiantes dominated the aerial battle with 29 successful duels from 50, while Banfield managed 21 from the same total. The home side completed 288 passes in the opposition half compared to 206 for the visitors, but their shots accuracy was zero — five attempts off target and none on. Banfield's three shots on target came from ten attempts inside the penalty area, but the goalkeeper made no saves.
The draw extends Estudiantes' winless run to four matches, following defeats to Argentinos Juniors and Instituto Cordoba in their last two outings. Banfield's unbeaten streak in the league has now reached three games, with only a 1-0 loss to Huracán in their previous outing breaking their pattern. The result leaves both sides with nothing to play for as the Clausura enters its final phase.