SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO (special envoy) — Students faced a Velez in the final from League Cup 2024which was disputed in the Mother Cities stadium of Santiago del Esteroand stayed with him champion title for winning 4-3 in the penalty shootout after equaling 1-1 in the 120 minutes that were played.
Estudiantes became champion of the League Cup against Vélez at the Madre de Ciudades Stadium. Photo Baires
The heat of the final was there from early on, with two fans who began to fill the stands with anticipation and collaborated in a party that took place in peace, without problems.
Once the chants and partying of the previous hours were over, the ball began to roll at 3:30 p.m. and there the champion began to be defined.
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Velez He tweaked his team compared to what the semis had been like against Argentinos Juniors. Elías Gómez, who was suspended, returned, and Brian Romero (expelled before El Bicho), was replaced by Thiago Vecino, one of the many kids from Fortín. For its part, Pincha did not form with the same semifinalists, leaving Zuqui on the bench.
Fortín was better than León in the first ten minutes and in fact was very close to scoring in the 6th minute. Christian Ordoñez took a powerful shot from outside the area and broke the crossbar of Mansilla, who was only looking at the shot.
Students He began to react after that bad stretch and scored a goal that was not in Fortín’s plans. At the corner’s exit, Pincha played it short and left it to them. Eros Mancuso, who crossed his shot from outside the area and scored 1-0.
The goal did not discourage Vélez, who had more than one chance to tie in that first half. First a carom ended up being beneficial for Estudiantes, then Pizzini missed a goal entering only at the far post.
Pincha’s right wing was the comfort zone for Vélez, who attacked there with a brilliant Thiago Fernández, who was indecipherable for the rival. Students had to get their hands on the matter and Edwuin Cetré He had to go down the right wing to collaborate with Mancuso, who did not have a good time in the first half.
The second half had the same tone, with Vélez more dominant, but an unexpected play began to change everything. Damián Fernández saw red for an elbow on Cetré and left the team, as in quarters and semis, with ten men.
This, far from being a disadvantage for Fortín, seemed to work as a plus, since a few minutes after that red card, the boy Sarco made the tie 1-1 with a good definition of ‘9’.
Added to this, Benedetti tied the game and was also sent off in a last man action, since the second from Fortín was coming.
No differences could be made. The tie reigned in the regular 90 and in the end everything began to be defined in the additional 30 minutes.
The first extra half hour began with a different Estudiantes, more poised and with other intentions of seeking Vélez’s goal, although without clarity. Fortín felt the wear and tear of the first 90 minutes and retreated a little more, with many youth players on the field after Quinteros’ modifications.
In the second half, the game did not have clear chances and the inevitable feeling of penalties already invaded the 20 protagonists who remained on the field. Some overflow by Cetré or the mischief of a youth from Vélez set off the defense’s alarms, without positive results. The final whistle arrived and the champion of the League Cup was defined from twelve steps in the Madre de Cities.
This is how penalties were kicked in the 2024 League Cup final between Estudiantes and Vélez
He first penalty in the afternoon he was executed by Emanuel Mammana, who entered during the second half after the red card to Fernández. The ex-River central defender defined with class and put it in the upper left corner. Pincha tied the score and Vélez also scored the second. Eros Mancuso was the first to fail: He wanted to emulate his shot against Boca, but Marchiori He guessed his intention.
Immediately after that blow, Mansilla He also began to be a figure and He contained García’s shot. Cáseres the fourth shot failed and Estudiantes began to shape themselves to be the champion.
The hot ball was left to Ascacibar, who with tape on his arm tried to sentence the League Cup. His shot wasn’t bad, he crossed well and down, but Marchiori denied the celebration with a cover to a very good hand.
When the youth Montoro had the chance to tie the round again, Mansilla added one more cover to his list and left everything ready for Fernando Zuqui, that did not fail.
The midfielder took off, went towards the ball and unleashed madness throughout the entire La Plata sector: Estudiantes de La Plata is the new champion of the League Cup.