Federal A Semifinals Set Schedule and Officiating Crew
The Argentine Federal A third-tier championship enters its decisive semifinal second legs this weekend, with governing officials setting kickoff times and referee assignments for clubs chasing a promotion ticket to the Primera Nacional. In the Zona Campeonato, Bahía Blanca’s Olimpo travels to face San Martín de Formosa at the Estadio 17 de Octubre, while Mar del Plata’s Alvarado hosts Cipolletti in the opposite bracket.
Following a 1-1 draw in the opening leg at the Estadio Roberto Carminatti, Olimpo enters Sunday’s fixture carrying the pressure of a deficit under tournament rules. Because San Martín holds the sporting advantage from the regular stage, the Bahía Blanca side must secure an outright victory on Sunday to advance to the single-match final for the first promotion spot on neutral ground. Referee Lucas Cavallero will officiate the 3:30 p.m. local time kickoff, as reported by lanueva.com.
Alvarado Seeks Home Turnaround Against Cipolletti
In the parallel Zona Campeonato matchup, Alvarado welcomes Cipolletti to Mar del Plata for the return leg at the Estadio José María Minella. Cipolletti holds a narrow edge in the tie following a 1-0 victory, secured through a strike by Cristian González before spectators at La Visera de Cemento. Gustavo Benites will serve as the referee for Sunday’s 3:30 p.m. fixture. The winner of this pairing moves directly to the promotion final, while the defeated side enters the bracket for the Reválida tournament.
Villa Mitre Prepares for Reválida Opening Clash
While Olimpo battles in the championship bracket, fellow Bahía Blanca competitor Villa Mitre resumes action after a three-week layoff to begin its pursuit of the second promotion path through the Reválida playoffs. Villa Mitre travels to La Pampa to face Costa Brava de General Pico at El Fortín for a 4:00 p.m. start overseen by referee Luis Martínez. Having played to a 1-1 draw in the initial leg in General Pico, the Tricolor holds the sporting advantage, meaning a draw on aggregate will suffice to send Diego Cochas’s squad through to the next phase.
Match Officials and Fixtures Across the Reválida Playoff Brackets
The broader Reválida 16avos de final slate features cross-country matchups spanning Saturday and Sunday. Saturday afternoon action opens at 3:00 p.m. with Kimberley hosting Deportivo Rincón under referee Marcos Liuzzi, following Kimberley’s 1-0 first-leg win. At 3:30 p.m., Huracán Las Heras meets Juventud Antoniana Salta with Franco Morón in charge, as Antoniana defends a 3-0 aggregate advantage. Additional Saturday fixtures include Gimnasia de Chivilcoy against Defensores de Puertos Vilelas handled by Valentín Pompei, and Defensores de Belgrano de Villa Ramallo versus Sportivo Las Parejas under José Díaz, both carrying 1-1 aggregate scores from their first meetings.
Saturday evening schedules feature Sol de América of Formosa playing Juventud Universitaria de San Luis with referee Lucas Rodríguez at 7:00 p.m., and Atenas de Río Cuarto meeting FADEP at 7:30 p.m. with Lautaro Castañola whistling the match after FADEP’s 2-0 opening win. Sunday’s Reválida slate continues at 4:00 p.m. with 9 de Julio de Rafaela hosting Gimnasia de Concepción del Uruguay under Leonardo Billanueva, Douglas Haig facing El Linqueño with referee Fernando Marcos, and Argentino de Monte Maíz meeting San Martín de Mendoza under Enzo Gutiérrez. Sarmiento de La Banda rounds out the weekend at 8:30 p.m. against Sportivo Belgrano with Maximiliano Silcan as referee.
First Relegation Confirmed in Primera Nacional
This weekend also brought the confirmation of the first of four relegation drops in the Primera Nacional. Atlético Güemes of Santiago del Estero lost its category after a 2-0 defeat against Patronato, extending its winless streak to 17 matches and sending the club down to the Federal A division for the next season following six years in the second tier.
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