Gimnasia La Plata secured a 2-0 victory over Barracas Central in the Clausura fourth round of the Argentine Professional League on Saturday. The result moves the hosts further clear of the visitors in the standings, where they now sit six points apart. Both sides had been in decent form ahead of this fixture, but only one side could capitalise on their opportunities.
The opening came just after the interval when Augusto Colazo struck in the 46th minute, catching the visitors off guard. Barracas had enjoyed the better share of possession in the opening period but failed to test the goalkeeper meaningfully. Colazo's finish was clinical, and it shifted the momentum decisively in Gimnasia's favour.
What followed was a match where Barracas dominated possession but could not find a way to convert their territory into goals. They registered 131 attacks compared to 103 for their hosts, yet their expected goals figure of 0.39 told a different story. By then the visitors were chasing the game, and the opening to create clear chances was closing.
The second goal arrived in stoppage time, with Facundo Torres slotting home in the 90th minute plus two. It was a moment that effectively killed any remaining hope of a comeback. Barracas had created nothing of note from their big chances—there were none registered—while Gimnasia managed two. The efficiency gap between the two sides was stark.
Discipline became an issue in the second half, with seven yellow cards distributed across both teams. Barracas received four, including back-to-back bookings for G. Maroni and A. Max in the 82nd minute, which disrupted their rhythm. Gimnasia picked up three, with R. Barrios eventually being substituted after his caution.
Substitutions began early for both sides, with Y. Rak coming on for Barracas alongside Colazo's goal. The visitors brought on J. Candia in the 60th minute seeking to change the dynamic, while Gimnasia introduced N. Fernandez in the 85th minute to see out the result. The game settled into a pattern where Barracas pushed forward but found no answer.
The statistics tell the tale of a match where territory meant little without penetration. Barracas completed 334 passes to Gimnasia's 310, yet their shot accuracy was just 15 per cent compared to 38 per cent for the hosts. Six shots on target for Gimnasia produced two goals, while Barracas managed only two on target from eight attempts off target.
The result leaves Gimnasia in sixth place with 26 points from 16 games, while Barracas remain in ninth on 21 points. For the visitors, the loss extends their unbeaten run to five games without a win, a departure from the form that had seen them win four of their previous five matches. The gap between them may yet narrow, but not today.