Buenos Aires, Jan 25 (NA) -- Argentinos Juniors defeated Sarmiento de Junín 1-0 at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in La Paterna, in the match corresponding to Date 1 of the 2026 Apertura Tournament. The only goal of the match was scored by forward Tomás Molina, who appeared in the 52nd minute of the second half, after an assist from Lozano, to break the parity when the match seemed headed for a goalless draw. According to the Argentine News Agency, during the first half, the game was balanced with few clear chances in front of the goals. The turning point came in the 14th minute of the second half when Insaurralde was sent off, leaving the visiting team with a man less and forcing them to fall back to hold the draw. From that numerical advantage, Argentinos Juniors advanced their lines and began to exert constant pressure on the rival area. Despite some isolated attempts, neither team managed to break the zero before the break. In the second half, Sarmiento made changes from the start with the entry of Contrera for Cabrera, looking for more dynamism in the midfield. In the 52nd minute of the second half, Tomás Molina capitalized on an offensive play and defined with precision to score the definitive 1-0, unleashing the celebration in La Paterna. Argentinos tried to take the lead from the start with ball possession and circulation down the wings, while Sarmiento opted for an orderly approach, with compact lines and fast transitions. In the final minutes, the home team managed the advantage against a Sarmiento that had no answers to reverse the result. With this victory, Argentinos Juniors began the 2026 Apertura Tournament with a hard-fought victory, built from patience and insistence, while Sarmiento left empty-handed after a match in which they resisted for most of the game but could not hold the result until the end. Summary Apertura Tournament Date 1 Argentinos Juniors 1 – 0 Sarmiento de Junín Stadium: Diego Armando Maradona Referee: Andrés Gariano VAR: Fernando Espinoza Argentinos Juniors: Cortes; Lozano, Álvarez, Ramírez, Prieto; Fattori, Oroz; L. Giaccone, A. Lescano, Porcel; Molina. DT: Nicolás Diez. Sarmiento (Junín): Burrai; Arismendi, Insaurralde, Orihuela, Cabrera; S. Salle, García, Zabala, Rentería; Marabel, Churín. DT: Facundo Sava. Goals in the second half: 52m. Insaurralde sent off (S). The proceedings became more intense, with VAR interventions and refereeing decisions that gave the match greater tension. The home team moved the bench in search of offensive freshness and accumulated approaches, although it cost them to find precision in the final meters.
