The Copa Libertadores was always going to test the squad of Racing but for the second time this season Diego Cocca has seen his second string side drop points away to lesser opponents. Last night in the Nuevo Monumental, Atlético Rafaela were able to earn their first points of the season with a deserved draw against the Transición champions. A bright opening from the hosts should have yielded some reward but after having a goal chalked off for offside and squandering a handful of chances, it was Racing who took a first half lead when Nicolás Sánchez rose to head in Marcos Acuña’s freekick. Not to be discouraged, La Crema returned for the second half with the same intensity and just six minutes later, captain Adrián Bastía rifled in an equaliser from the edge of the box. Both sides had chances to win it and Cocca threw on Gustavo Bou in his attempts to take all three points but ultimately the draw was probably fair.
Earlier in Parque Patricios, Huracán came from behind to salvage a draw against Gimnasia. Like Racing, El Globo are finding the pressures of playing midweek in the Libertadores a strain but Néstor Apuzzo will be relieved that his side were able to claim a point. Gimnasia were looking to recover from the damaging clásico platense defeat last Sunday and took the lead when Antonio Medina diverted Lucas Licht’s shot past Gonzalo Marinelli. However, shortly after half time, Huracán levelled the score. Lucas Campana’s near post header should probably have been dealt with by Nicolás Navarro but his weak attempt to push the ball away only ended helping it inside the far post. Both sides sensed that there was a possible winner with Huracán introducing Daniel Montenegro and Ramón Ábila and even after both sides were reduced to ten men after both Pablo Bruna and Nicolás Oreja were shown their second yellow cards neither side could force a second goal.
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