Velez Sarsfield and Atletico Tucuman have identical Argentine Primera Division records heading into Saturday's gameweek four clash at Estadio Jose Amalfitani.
Both sides have claimed four points from an available nine, and a victory for either sees the winner pull three points clear of the other.
Match preview
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Velez had a false start to start the new campaign, but two positive results on the trot mean Gustavo Quinteros's men have the more positive feeling heading into the imminent round.
El Fortin notched a 1-0 triumph over Newell's Old Boys in their last home match and picked up a creditable 1-1 draw at Independiente at the start of the week, seeing them respond to the opening-day 3-1 loss at Gimnasia La Plata.
A strong sequence of results on home soil gives the hosts an undoubted advantage, having avoided losing in Buenos Aires in all competitions since January.
Since getting beat by Independiente at the start of 2024, Velez have gone eight matches without losing on their ground in all competitions, notching six wins and playing out two draws.
The strength in front of their fans owes much to Quinteros' troops giving little away to their opponents, underlined by five clean sheets at the Jose Amalfitani, including the last four matches.
While Velez have not scored more than one goal in that period stretching back to March — 1-0 wins over Rosario Central, Instituto and Newell's and a goalless encounter with Argentinos Juniors — Atletico Tucuman must work doubly hard to end the home side's extended run of clean sheets on their ground.
The visiting side aim to become the first side since Tigre to find the back of the net in Buenos Aires — a 2-2 league draw at the backend of February — keen to build on last week's 1-1 draw against Platense.
El Decano have struggled since defeating Boca Juniors in gameweek one, failing to build on that 1-0 triumph in league or cup, underlined by losses to Talleres and Gimnasia in the Primera Division and Copa Argentina respectively, before the recent point to stop the losing run.
Facundo Sava has been in situ for over two months, but the team's results have been mixed, with the losses (five) outdoing three victories in 11 matches in all competitions.
With Sava winless on the road since taking over — losing 4-1 at Talleres, playing out a 1-1 draw against Independiente and getting beat 4-0 and 2-0 by Huracan and Talleres again — Atletico are underdogs heading into this weekend despite being level on points with Velez.
Team News
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Ricardo Centurion and Yeison Gordillo are not expected to play any part on Saturday night owing to knee injuries.
Claudio Aquino and Braian Romero, scorers of two of Velez's three goals this term, should play from the off in gameweek four.
Lucas Ambrogio is missing for Atletico because of a serious knee injury, while Gianluca Ferrari (hamstring) is unlikely to return from a hamstring injury this weekend.
The low-scoring visitors hope both goalscorers this season — Marcelo Estigarribia and Mateo Coronel — add to their sole strikes against a team that give little away on their turf.
Velez Sarsfield possible starting lineup:
Marchiori; Garcia, Mammana, Fernandez, Gomez; Ordonez, Bouzat; Pizzini, Aquino, Fernandez; Romero
Atletico Tucuman possible starting lineup:
Durso; Lagos, Flores, Romero, Infante; Tesuri, Acosta, Sanchez, Pereyra; Coronel, Estigarribia
We say: Velez Sarsfield 1-0 Atletico Tucuman
While a goalless encounter between these clubs will not surprise, with Velez securing two of their recent 1-0 victories courtesy of strikes after the 80th minute, El Fortin are backed to nick a hard-fought slender win over their low-scoring visitors.
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