Buenos Aires, March 22 (NA) – Sarmiento defeated Aldosivi 2-0 in a crucial match for permanence in the Primera División, played this afternoon at the Eva Perón stadium for the twelfth date of the 2026 Apertura Tournament. According to the Argentine News Agency, the home team won with goals from midfielder Cristian Zabala and forward Junior Marabel, one of the tournament's top scorers, from a penalty. Additionally, the team from the city of Junín had to play with 10 men from the 33rd minute of the first half due to the direct red card of forward Diego Churin. With the victory, the "Verdolaga" reached eleventh place in Zone B with 13 points, and relegated the team temporarily coached by Facundo Oreja: they are second-to-last in the group with five points and are in the relegation zone based on the annual table. In the next round, Facundo Sava's team will visit Barracas Central, while the "Tiburón" from Mar del Plata will host Estudiantes de Río Cuarto in a match between the two teams with the fewest points in the championship. The day and time for both matches have not yet been confirmed. The home team was left with one player less at the 33rd minute of the first stage, when Diego Churin tried to pressure after a long pass from defender Fernando Román and ended up stepping hard on his left instep. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Sarmiento took the lead when it was 44 minutes, with a low shot from midfielder Jonatan Gómez, which Zabala deflected on its way to the goal, to put goalkeeper Axel Werner out of action and make it 1-0. At 38 minutes, the home team unexpectedly found a penalty: defender Juan Manuel Insaurralde, the tournament's most veteran player at 41 years old, controlled a ball meters from the area and headed towards it, where he felt a slight push and fell to the ground. The maximum penalty was taken by forward Junior Marabel, who scored his sixth goal in the Apertura with a low and crossed right-footed shot at 40 minutes, which sealed the match.
