Rosario Central and Newell's Old Boys met at the Estadio Doctor Lisandro de la Torre on Saturday evening, and what promised to be a tight affair delivered drama into the dying moments. The hosts took the lead just before half-time through Gaston Avila, and Newell's pulled level late on before VAR intervened. The final whistle confirmed a 2-1 victory for Rosario Central after Juan Ignacio Ramírez's strike was validated.
Avila's goal arrived at 45+1 minutes, giving the home side a slender advantage as the teams headed into the break. Newell's responded well after the restart, and their persistence paid off when Matías Cóccaro found the net at 90+3 minutes. The equaliser sent the crowd into a frenzy, but the celebration was cut short when the referee consulted VAR.
By then the decision had been made. Ramírez's effort, which had looked to have been disallowed for offside, was confirmed as a valid goal. It was a cruel blow for Newell's, who had fought back from behind to salvage something from the match. The visitors never got going in the second half, and their chances evaporated with the confirmation.
The statistics told a story of dominance without reward for Newell's. They registered 102 attacks against 94 for Rosario, yet managed only two shots on target compared to the hosts' two. Possession sat at 43 per cent for the away side, but they failed to translate that control into clear-cut opportunities. Big chances created were level at one apiece, but the quality of those chances separated the two sides.
And here's the thing — Rosario Central's shot accuracy was a mere 17 per cent, yet they still found the back of the net twice. Newell's were more clinical at 40 per cent, but two shots on target yielded only one goal. Expected goals showed a similar picture: 0.42 for the hosts versus 0.50 for the visitors. The numbers suggested a draw was coming, but football rarely follows the spreadsheet.
The result moves Rosario Central further clear in fourth place with 31 points from 17 games. Newell's remain 14th on 15 points, and their recent form — a win against Banfield and Deportivo Riestra sandwiched between draws — has come to an abrupt halt. The hosts had lost their last outing 2-1 to Gimnasia La Plata, so this victory ended a barren spell.
As for my prediction, I had backed the home side with 50 per cent confidence. That wager comes good today, though the manner of the victory — a late goal confirmed by VAR — was not what I expected. Sometimes the game slips through your fingers, and sometimes it lands in your lap.
