Buenos Aires, April 7 (NA) – Barracas Central drew 0-0 with Vasco da Gama in a match lacking dangerous chances, played this Tuesday at the Florencio Sola stadium in Banfield, for the first matchday of Group G of the 2026 South American Cup. According to the Argentine News Agency, the home team's biggest chance came in the 20th minute of the second half, when defender Fernando Tobio's first-time shot went just wide of the crossbar. Additionally, 'El Guapo' played with a man less from the 32nd minute of the second half due to the direct red card for midfielder Maximiliano Puig. With the draw, and with one match remaining in the group's first matchday, the team coached by Rubén Darío Insuasa sits second in Group G with one point, level with the Brazilian side that leads the group. In the next matchday, the 'albirrojo' team will visit Olimpia of Paraguay on Wednesday, April 15, at 9:00 PM, while 'Cruzmaltino' will host Chilean Audax Italiano on Tuesday, the 14th, at the same time. The first chance of the match was for the visitors, with a cross from the right to the far post that was met by the header of Argentine forward Claudio Spinelli, whose shot to the near post was saved by goalkeeper Juan Espínola. Two minutes later, a through ball put left-back Riquelme Avellar down the left side of the area, but his shot, also aimed at the near post, was again met by Espínola, who narrowed the angle in time and deflected it for a corner. 'El Guapo' had no more chances until the 20th minute, when forward Gonzalo Morales's long-range shot, which took a deflection, was turned away by goalkeeper Daniel Fuzato under his right post. In the 20th minute of the second half, a corner from the left found the far post where defender Fernando Tobio appeared, and he struck it first-time over the crossbar. Nine minutes later, winger Marino Hinestroza advanced down the left, cut inside, and set up forward Joao Pedro, whose shot, after a deflection, went just wide of Espínola's right post. The home side was reduced to ten men in the 32nd minute after midfielder Maximiliano Puig's harsh tackle on attacker Nuno Moreira near the center of the pitch. In the second minute of stoppage time, Spinelli headed the ball on to leave forward Adson free on the right side of the area, but his shot went wide, in the match's best chance of danger.
