Two sides in need of a run of positive results in the Argentine Primera Division will face off in midweek when Platense take on Velez Sarsfield at Estadio Ciudad de Vicente Lopez.
Both sides enter this match in the bottom half of the league standings with eight points each, though the visitors are two places above their opponents due to a better goal difference of one.
Match preview
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Platense have made a mixed start to the second phase of the season after an underwhelming first half, during which they only managed a ninth-placed finish in Group B with 18 points in 14 matches.
Calamar bounced back from back-to-back losses in the league and cup competitions before the international break with a 2-0 win over Central Cordoba at the weekend, taking their record to two wins, two draws and two losses after the first six matches of this phase.
After a goalless first half against Cordoba, Ronaldo Martinez gave his side the lead three minutes after the break and Sasha Marcich doubled their advantage 10 minutes later, marking the side's first win on the road since the middle of May.
At home, though, Sergio Gomez's side have been solid this season, suffering only a single defeat in their last 16 matches at Estadio Ciudad de Vicente Lopez, which was a 2-1 loss to Godoy Cruz in a match that they played with 10 men for over an hour.
When these sides met in the league last season, they played out a 1-1 draw. That result extended Platense's unbeaten record against this opponent to three matches, following consecutive victories in the two preceding encounters.
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Meanwhile, Velez Sarsfield have stumbled out of the blocks in the second phase of the season after managing a top-four finish in the first phase, when they ended just two points behind Group A winners River Plate.
Following a chaotic 1-0 loss to Boca Juniors where three players were sent off in stoppage-time, El Fortin returned from the international break with a solid 3-0 victory against Talleres de Cordoba over the weekend.
Braian Romero, Claudio Aquino and Thiago Fernandez were all on target for Velez, helping the side earn their second win in this phase, while they have drawn two and lost two of the remaining four matches in the second half of the competition.
Notably, a major struggle for Gustavo Quinteros's side this season has been their lack of attacking output, having managed just 14 goals in as many games in the first phase, which was the joint-fewest of the top eight teams in their group, while in this round, they have netted just seven so far.
El Fortin are winless in their last four away league games, including three defeats and a draw, while their only previous visit to this venue in the top flight ended in a 3-2 defeat in December 2021.
Team News
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Ivan Gomez, Gabriel Hachen and Juan Pablo Goicochea all missed the trip to Santiago del Estero due to muscle injuries and are likely to miss out this weekend as well.
Raul Lozano and Ciro Rius have not featured for the side since February owing to cruciate ligament tears, and Juan Ignacio Saborido is ruled out until November with a fractured metatarsal.
Velez Sarsfield will be able to welcome Christian Ordonez and Santiago Caseres back from suspension for this match, but they will be without Joaquin Garcia, who is away with Argentina at the Olympic Games in Paris.
The visitors are also missing as many as six players due to injury, including the likes of Leonardo Jara, Damian Fernandez, Alejo Sarco, Rodrigo Pinero, Ricardo Centurion and Yesion Gordillo.
Platense possible starting lineup:
Cozzani; Schelotto, Vazquez, Suso, Marcich; Mainero, Juarez, Picco, Rivero; Martinez, Ocampo
Velez Sarsfield possible starting lineup:
Marchiori; Guidara, Mammana, Pernicone, Gomez; Roldan, Bouzat; Pizzini, Aquino, Fernandez; Romero
We say: Platense 2-1 Velez Sarsfield
While Platense have struggled to put together a positive run of results this season, they have maintained an impressive home record with just one loss conceded in their last 16 matches at this venue.
Velez Sarsfield, on the other hand, have struggled for results on the road recently and have failed to beat this opponent in their last three attempts. We feel the hosts will be able to edge the visitors to the points in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
