Unión defeated Deportivo Riestra 2-0 in a match that was decided in the final minutes. The game was played this Friday at the 15 de Abril stadium in Santa Fe, for the thirteenth date of the Torneo Apertura 2026. According to the Argentine News Agency, the first goal of the match came at 20 minutes of the first half, with a penalty converted by forward Marcelo Estigarribia, while attacker Christian Tarragona sealed the victory at four minutes of added time in the second half. The visiting team was left with one player less at 27 minutes, after a hard foul from defender Jonatan Goitia near the rival area. The victory leaves coach Leonardo Madelón's team in fifth place in Zone A, with 19 points, having to face Estudiantes as a visitor in the next match, on Saturday, April 11 at 17:15. Meanwhile, the 'Malevo' continues without wins and is second to last in Group A, with only seven units. In the next round, it will have to receive Instituto, the same day and from 15:00. The first arrival of the match was from the local, at five minutes of the first time, with a center from the right of the winger Julián Palacios, which allowed a header to the second post of the forward Marcelo Estigarribia, which was stopped by goalkeeper Ignacio Arce. At 20 minutes, after a foul from defender Rodrigo Gallo inside the area, the 'Tatengue' was left with the penalty that would help him open the game, through a crossed right shot from Estigarribia. The visiting team played with one man less from the 27th minute, after a hard foul from Jonatan Goitia, who threw himself to the ground in the attempt to dispute a ball and impacted the knee of his rival, being expelled at the instance of the VAR. The first arrival of the complement was from the albirrojo, when the midfielder Mauro Pittón advanced from the center circle and took a long-range shot that went very close to the second post. Riestra did not have risky arrivals until the 26th minute, when the forward Alexander Díaz received inside the area and took a frontal shot, which went low and to the hands of goalkeeper Matías Mansilla, who was crucial in the local triumph in the following minutes. At 39 minutes, a cross to the area was headed on and allowed the volley of the forward Nicolás Benegas, which came out centralized and was stopped by the rival goalkeeper. Just two minutes later, Tarragona handled a counterattack on the right and played a center back for the first-time shot of the winger Santiago Solari, who could not give direction and did not overcome Arce. In the third minute of added time, after a long pass, Benegas received on the right vertex of the area and took a crossed shot, which Mansilla diverted with a good stretch on his right post. Leonardo Madelón's team had to suffer, despite the numerical difference, but could close the game in the fourth minute of added time. Accustomed to playing away from the area, and with his team needed, Arce received as the last man, standing in the center circle, and dodged a rival, although he wanted to put the ball in the area with a low pass, giving the ball to the santafesino team. Thus, Tarragona started from his half of the field, received a long pass and only had to take the ball to the area to define to the goal, before the free arch and the desperate retreat of the rival goalkeeper.
