Every neutral fans wishes were granted on Friday night in Avellaneda as Racing did just enough to squeeze past Estudiantes and set up a pre-Libertadores final against fierce rivals, Independiente. El Rojo had sealed their place 24 hours earlier with victory over Belgrano and although La Academia didn’t have things quite so easy, Marcos Acuña delivered a man of the match performance to drag Racing into the final.
Acuña was a thorn in the side of Estudiantes all evening but it took just 22 minutes for the former Ferro wide man to make an indelible mark on the match. Driving in from the left, Acuña unleashed a venomous right-footed strike from 25 yards that flew past Hilario Navarro and into the top corner.
Racing looked the likelier winners and in the space of three second half minutes their victory appeared certain. Estudiantes had Leonardo Jara sent off and with El Pincha still coming to terms with the man disadvantage, Acuña skipped away from two defenders to whip in a superb cross for Luciano Lollo to head a second.
The tie looked over but when Néstor Pitana decided to show Diego Milito a straight red card for a fairly innocuous challenge on the edge of his own penalty area it gave Gabi Milito’s side a renewed hope. Diego Mendoza pulled a goal back late on and although the visitors pressed for an equaliser, Racing held firm.
For a place in the Copa Libertadores, Racing will face Independiente over two legs but for at least the visit to the Estadio Libertadores de América they will do so without captain Diego Milito.
golazo argentino 