Belgrano vs Banfield: Overview

Belgrano secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Banfield in an enthralling Liga Profesional de Fútbol encounter at the Estadio Julio César Villagra on Saturday evening. The Córdoba-based side finally broke their five-match winless streak at home to the delight of their passionate supporters, who created an electric atmosphere throughout the 90 minutes.

The hosts dominated the early proceedings and were rewarded when Gabriel Compagnucci broke the deadlock in the 19th minute with a well-placed finish. Lucas Zelarayán doubled their advantage shortly after the restart with a sublime free-kick that left Banfield goalkeeper Facundo Sanguinetti rooted to the spot. The visitors fought back admirably, with Mauro Méndez pulling one back in the 57th minute to ensure a tense finale.

Ricardo Zielinsky's tactical approach proved effective as "Belgrano" demonstrated why they've established themselves as the league's defensive powerhouse this season. Despite "Banfield's" late pressure, the home side held firm to secure all three points. The victory propels Belgrano from 7th to 2nd in the Liga Profesional standings, while Banfield slip to 12th position.

The result has significant implications for the title race, with Belgrano now emerging as genuine contenders. For Banfield, the defeat continues their inconsistent form under Pedro Troglio, leaving them in mid-table and struggling to mount a serious challenge for continental qualification.

"This victory means a lot to us after our recent struggles at home," said Ricardo Zielinsky, Belgrano's coach. "The players showed tremendous character and commitment today. Our defensive solidity has been our strength all season, and we're now starting to convert that into positive results. The support from our fans was incredible and they deserve this win as much as anyone."

"We're disappointed with the result, but I can't fault the effort of my players," reflected Banfield manager Pedro Troglio. "We created enough chances to take something from the game, especially in the second half. We need to be more clinical in front of goal and tighten up defensively if we want to climb the table. There are still plenty of matches left, and I'm confident we can turn our form around."

"Scoring the opening goal was special, but the three points are what really matter," said Belgrano's Gabriel Compagnucci. "We've been working hard to improve our home form, and tonight everything clicked. The coach's tactical plan worked perfectly, and we executed it well. This could be a turning point in our season."

"Belgrano's defensive organization made it difficult for Banfield to create clear opportunities," noted football analyst Carlos Aimar. "Zelarayán's free-kick was a moment of pure quality that ultimately proved decisive. Banfield showed great spirit to fight back, but Belgrano managed the game intelligently in the closing stages."

Possession: Belgrano 42% - 58% Banfield

Shots (on target): Belgrano 11 (5) - 15 (4) Banfield

Corners: Belgrano 4 - 7 Banfield

Fouls: Belgrano 14 - 9 Banfield

Yellow Cards: Belgrano 3 (Longo, Morales, Ricca) - 2 Banfield (Vittor, Daniele)

Red Cards: None

Despite having less possession, "Belgrano" demonstrated clinical efficiency in front of goal, converting two of their five shots on target. "Banfield" struggled to capitalize on their territorial advantage, managing just four shots on target from their 15 attempts.

Individual Performances:

Lucas Zelarayán (Belgrano) - 1 goal, 2 key passes, 89% pass completion Franco Jara (Belgrano) - 3 shots, 2 on target, 4 successful dribbles Mariano Troilo (Belgrano) - 8 clearances, 4 interceptions, 2 blocked shots

Mauro Méndez (Banfield) - 1 goal, 4 shots, 3 aerial duels won Rodrigo Auzmendi (Banfield) - 2 shots on target, 3 key passes, 91% pass completion Sergio Vittor (Banfield) - 6 tackles, 3 interceptions, 1 yellow card

Belgrano's defensive resilience was evident in their 24 clearances compared to Banfield's 11, while Banfield dominated the midfield with 436 completed passes to Belgrano's 312.

19' GOAL (1-0): Gabriel Compagnucci opens the scoring for Belgrano with a precise finish into the bottom corner after a well-worked team move down the right flank. Jara with the assist.

32' CHANCE: Banfield nearly equalize as Mauro Méndez's header from Daniele's cross strikes the crossbar with Nicolás Fernández beaten.

45+2' TACTICAL SHIFT: Belgrano switches from 4-3-3 to a more defensive 4-5-1 formation to protect their lead going into halftime.

48' GOAL (2-0): Lucas Zelarayán doubles Belgrano's advantage with a spectacular free-kick from 25 yards that curls into the top corner, leaving Sanguinetti with no chance.

57' GOAL (2-1): Mauro Méndez pulls one back for Banfield, heading home from close range following a well-delivered corner by Santiago Daniele.

63' SUBSTITUTIONS: Pedro Troglio makes a double change for Banfield, introducing fresh attacking options in an attempt to find an equalizer.

78' CHANCE: Franco Jara nearly restores Belgrano's two-goal cushion but his powerful strike from the edge of the area strikes the post.

89' SAVE: Nicolás Fernández produces a stunning reflex save to deny Rodrigo Auzmendi's goal-bound header, preserving Belgrano's lead in the dying minutes.

This victory extends "Belgrano's" historical advantage over "Banfield" in the Liga Profesional, with the Córdoba side now having won 6 of their 14 encounters, compared to Banfield's 3 victories and 5 draws. The goal tally now stands at 22-16 in Belgrano's favor across all meetings.

The contest has typically been tight, with an average of 2.71 goals per game in their encounters. Belgrano have now won three of the last five meetings between the sides, with their previous encounter in February 2025 ending in a 1-1 draw.

The individual battle between Franco Jara and Sergio Vittor was particularly fascinating throughout the match. Jara, one of Belgrano's key attacking threats, found himself consistently challenged by Vittor's physical defending. Despite not getting on the scoresheet, Jara's movement and link-up play created spaces for his teammates.

In midfield, Lucas Zelarayán's creative influence for Belgrano was effectively countered by Rodrigo Saravia's defensive work for much of the match, though Zelarayán ultimately made the difference with his spectacular free-kick. The tactical chess match between coaches Ricardo Zielinsky and Pedro Troglio added another layer to this growing rivalry, with Zielinsky's pragmatic approach ultimately prevailing over Troglio's possession-based philosophy.

This result continues the trend of home advantage being significant in this fixture, with 8 of the 14 matches being won by the home side.

The impressive victory has catapulted Belgrano from 7th to 2nd place in the Liga Profesional de Fútbol standings with 14 points from 7 matches. They now sit just two points behind leaders River Plate, with a game in hand. Their exceptional defensive record of just 2 goals conceded in 7 matches gives them the best defensive statistics in the competition.

Banfield have slipped to 12th position with 9 points from 7 matches following their defeat. They are now eight points adrift of the Copa Libertadores qualification spots and five points clear of the relegation zone.

Belgrano's unexpected rise up the table has transformed them from mid-table contenders to genuine title challengers. Their remaining fixture list appears favorable, with four of their next six matches at home, albeit with their previous struggles at the Estadio Julio César Villagra potentially a concern.

For Banfield, their inconsistent form continues to hamper their progress. While qualification for continental competition remains a mathematical possibility, they will need to find greater consistency under Pedro Troglio to mount a serious challenge. Their upcoming fixtures include difficult away trips to Racing Club and Boca Juniors, which could define their season.