Newell’s Old Boys beat Vélez Sarsfield this Friday 1-0, in a match corresponding to the second date of the Professional League, played in the city of Rosario.
In it Return as coach of Gabriel Heinze to the “Colossus” Marcelo Bielsathe local team showed improvements compared to the 2-2 draw with Platense on the opening day and thus won the three points
At the beginning of the match, the ‘red and black’ team showed high pressure, while Vélez decided to stand calmly and then move the ball to reach the goal defended by Lucas Hoyos.
The “Cacique” Alexander Medina decided to leave his three strikers well up; Bou, Janson, and Pratto. And that almost paid off from the start when Janson missed a shot in the six-yard box.
Liniers’ forwards faced a defense that featured three foreigners, the Colombians Willer Ditta and Jherson Mosquera, plus the Paraguayan Víctor Velázquez.
With the passing of the minutes in that first stage, both teams generated play, but resolution and precision were lacking in the final touch to make the goalkeepers work.
In the second half, Newell’s raised his performance and he was more aggressive. He stole the ball from his opponent and sought to be the protagonist.
At minute 23, a goal came out of context, when the Paraguayan Recalde executed a free kick, in favor of the locals. The ball rained down to the far post for Velázquez to lower it to the penalty spot, where the Sforza midfielder pushed it, to make it 1-0.
The goal confirmed Heinze’s plans for his team and woke up Medina and his team, who hurried the changes and turned to push their rival against Hoyos. Velez’s defense began to exhibit weaknesses and before each counter there was anxiety.
Medina sent the kid Prestianni (17 years old), coveted by the greatest in Europe, to the fieldso that with his self-confidence he would break the tedium that his team transmitted.
Vélez went for the tie in a disorderly manner, so the Rosario team was able to contain the attacks and even get hold of the ball and dispose of it in the last minutes.
With his usual histrionic display from the sideline, the local team’s coach accommodated his players, kept them awake and -finally- achieved his first victory as coach at the head of the Parque de la Independencia entity in which he shone as a player.
Another symbol of the Park as Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, an idol as a player and coach of the club, watched the match from one of the boxes of the stadium.
