The Azulgranas aim to bounce back and climb away from the relegation danger zone, taking aim at victory over Torito, who is also pressing to climb out of danger for dropping to a lower division.
The stage for this clash is the Arturo “Jiya” Mirandato arena as Atletico Güemes hosts Alvarado in a matchday twenty-five battle of the 2023 First National season.
Both teams sprint into action in Santiago del Estero, each needing points. The Azulgranas, coming off a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Flandria, sit in 14th place with 26 points, four clear of the relegation line. El Torito, a rung higher than their rival, has just defeated Patronato 2-0, with goals from Sebastián Ramírez and José Luis Fernández, lifting their mood and league position.
The most recent head-to-head took place on March 11, when the squads under then-coaches César Vigevani and José María Martínez met and finished 2-1 in favor of Güemes. Mauro Albertengo and Guido Vadalá struck for Güemes, while Lucas Cano found the consolation for Alvarado late in the game.
It’s important to understand the format of the competition this season: the championship is divided into two groups, Group A with 18 teams and Group B with 19. Each team plays others in its group in a home-and-away format. The teams that finish atop Group A will face off in a final to determine the promotion spot. The runner-up from that group will fight in promotion playoffs against the teams finishing 2nd through 8th in order to secure advancement. The teams with the fewest points risk automatic relegation, and the second-to-last in each group must navigate a playoff to avoid dropping to a lower division.
Preview details and statistics for the match are covered by GOAL, offering deeper insights and numbers for supporters.