Estudiantes de La Plata suffered a 3–1 defeat against Unión at the Estadio 15 de Abril in Santa Fe, dropping to eleventh place in Zona A of the Torneo Clausura with 14 points. Just days after securing a historic spot in the Copa Libertadores final, Alexander Medina’s side saw their domestic playoff hopes take a significant hit as Unión overturned an early deficit to secure the three points.
Early Advantage Slips Away in Santa Fe
La visita se puso en ventaja cuando Gaich pivoteó y habilitó a Eric Meza, quien buscó el centro y tuvo la fortuna de que el balón se desviara en Lucas Ayala para terminar en su propia valla. Despite controlling stretches of the first half, Estudiantes failed to build on the lead after the interval.
#TorneoClausura39' ST ⏱️ cambio en Unión ➡️ Ignacio Malcorra⬅️ Julián Palacios🆚 #Unión 2 – 1 #Estudiantes pic.twitter.com/j3oomBVkF1
— https://x.com/clubaunion/status/2114866087850299784
Unión responded swiftly at the start of the second half. Just five minutes after the restart, Cristian Tarragona capitalized on a turnover in a dangerous area to level the score. The equalizer sparked protests from the visiting bench, resulting in a direct red card for Estudiantes coach Alexander Medina.
Unión Capitalizes on Numerical Advantage
With Medina dismissed and Estudiantes forced to reorganize, Leonardo Madelón’s side pressed forward. Marcelo Estigarribia put the hosts ahead by beating goalkeeper Fernando Muslera in the 19th minute of the second half. The defeat was sealed in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Eric Ramírez added a third goal, capping a 3–1 turnaround that lifted Unión to the tenth position in Zona A with 17 points, two points outside the playoff qualification spots.
Player ratings published following the match reflected the team’s struggles in Santa Fe, with an overall squad average of 4.14 out of 10. Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and referee Pablo Dóvalo both received marks of 5, while forward Adolfo Gaich and defender Leandro González Pirez were among the lowest-rated players with scores of 3.
Upcoming Fixtures in the Torneo Clausura
Estudiantes will look to bounce back when they host Instituto on Saturday, October 31, with kickoff scheduled for 21:30 local time. Meanwhile, Unión travels to Rosario to face Newell’s Old Boys on Sunday, November 1, starting at 18:30.
#TorneoClausura18' ST ⏰ ¡GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL! ¡Gritalo Chelo! ¡Gritalo Tatengueeeee! 🆚 #Unión 2 – 1 #Estudiantes pic.twitter.com/KxTnsE1PRS
— https://x.com/clubaunion/status/2114860596487237954
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