Barracas Central defeated Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata 2-0 in a match where set pieces were decisive. The game took place at the Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia stadium for the fourth round of Zone B of the 2026 Apertura Tournament. According to the Argentine News Agency (NA), the home team took the lead in the 34th minute of the first half with a high shot from defender Kevin Jappert, and sealed the victory in the 16th minute of the second half with a free kick from midfielder Iván Tapia. Thus, 'El Guapo' reached tenth place in the group with five points, while Fernando Zaniratto's team is fifth with six points. In the next round, the team led by Rubén Darío Insua will visit Rosario Central on Sunday, February 15, at 22:00, while 'El Lobo' will host Estudiantes in a new edition of the 'Clásico Platense' on the same Sunday, starting at 17:00. The first dangerous play of the match was for the home team in the first minute, with a drive through the middle and a long-range shot from striker Norberto Briasco that went high and wide. Ten minutes later, 'El Lobo' responded with a shot from the edge of the area by winger Jeremías Merlo, who attacked from left to center and fired a low, cross shot near the right post of goalkeeper Marcelo Miño. A minute later, after a one-two, defender Alexis Steimbach crossed the ball, which deflected off midfielder Rodrigo Insua and went towards the near post, requiring a good save from Miño to prevent a goal. 'El Guapo' scored in the 34th minute of the first half when a corner kick to the far post by midfielder Iván Tapia led to a series of headers in the small area, ending with a loose ball shot first-time into the goal with a high shot by Kevin Jappert. Barracas had the first chance of the second half at five minutes, with a medium-range shot from Insua that went low and central, into the hands of goalkeeper Nelson Insfran. The second goal of the afternoon came in the 16th minute of the second half when Iván Tapia surprised with a long-range free kick and fired a powerful shot to the near post for the 2-0. Five minutes later, a good through ball to the right set up attacking midfielder Gonzalo Maroni, who was one-on-one but didn't finish well, shooting wide to the near post. The visitors came close in the 28th minute with a free kick to the far post that was headed by defender Renzo Giampaoli, although his shot hit the outside of the net. Gimnasia came again five minutes later when winger Maximiliano Zalazar attacked on the right, faked a cross, and looked for a low shot to the near post, which Miño deflected for a corner kick.
