Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Gimnasia Mendoza 4th with 63 points, Atlético Rafaela 18th with 30, 33 apart. Atlético Rafaela had been over-performing their table position on recent form: 8th in the league over the last five rounds against 18th overall. Scoring rates set the scale: Gimnasia Mendoza 1.16 scored and 0.87 conceded per game, Atlético Rafaela 0.63 and 1.13, with the league averaging 0.89.
7 matches unbeaten backed Gimnasia Mendoza's arrival. A win had eluded Atlético Rafaela for 8 matches. The five-game form split read 11/15 points for Gimnasia Mendoza against 1/15 for Atlético Rafaela.
6 meetings are on record — 2 won by Gimnasia Mendoza, 3 by Atlético Rafaela, 1 drawn, at 3.67 goals per meeting. History points to goals: 83% of the meetings had three or more, and both sides scored in 100%.
The venue was Estadio Víctor Antonio Legrotaglie in Mendoza, with room for 40,268 spectators. On the scoreboard, it was 0-0 at the break; 3 second-half goals set the final 2-1.