Néstor Gorosito wasn’t able to keep Tigre in the Superliga but there can be no questioning the impact of the 54-year-old. An unbeaten seven-game run at the end of the regular season, winning five, and now a place in the Copa Superliga quarter finals, Tigre have looked nothing like a side who will be playing Nacional B football next season.
After suffering defeat in Victoria last week, Tigre were once more up against it and Unión would have fancied their chances of booking their place in the next round. More so when Maximiliano Cuadra nodded them in front after only a couple of minutes in Santa Fe.
In need of three unanswered goals, Gorosito’s Tigre shouldn’t be written off and it didn’t take too long to pull one back. Unión will certainly feel aggrieved with Federico González in an offside position heading the ball against defender Yeimar Gómez Andrade and into the net but the home side should still have had enough of a cushion to remain in control.
Buoyed by the equaliser however, Tigre were suddenly in the ascendency and before long Walter Montillo rifled in a second to level up the tie.
Unión then had chances at the other end and saw a strong penalty appeal waved away after Ignacio Canuto headed the ball against his own arm in the penalty area.
The tie hung in the balance until the 67th minute when Jorge Ortíz clipped the ball over the top and an unmarked González headed the ball past Marcos Peano.
Now in need of two, Unión pushed forward and saw a goal incorrectly ruled out for offside as Tigre held on for the win. El Matador certainly won’t be among the favourites to win the Copa but their spirit can’t be doubted – nine times under Gorosito, Tigre have conceded the first goal and they have won five and drawn two of those.
Unión 1 – 3 Tigre (AGG 3-4)
Superliga champions Racing are up next for Tigre after Eduardo Coudet’s side held Estudiantes to a goalless draw, all that was required after last week’s 1-1 tie in La Plata.
Both sides created chances in the first half with a couple of free-kicks at either end going close and some last-ditch defending keeping the stalemate intact but as the game went on Racing were increasingly comfortable.
Coudet’s well drilled outfit controlled the game and should have led during a dominant second half with a reflex Mariano Andújar save denying Darío Cvitanich would looked like an almost certain goal. Ultimately it was a comfortable enough victory for Racing even if the slender margin would say otherwise and La Academia will be firm favourites for a semi final spot against Tigre.
Racing Club 0 – 0 Estudiantes (AGG 1-1) Racing progress on away goals
Atlético Tucumán set up a quarter final tie against River Plate after overturning their first leg defeat away to Talleres with a 2-0 win.
Leandro Díaz poked in from close range shortly after half time level up the aggregate score and give El Decano the advantage on away goals but just to be certain a late Javier Toledo penalty made absolutely certain.
golazo argentino 