The second promotion to the Professional League will be decided in 90 minutes, contested by two teams that have never before reached Argentina’s top tier in league play.
The First National’s bid to ascend to the Professional League for 2024 will culminate in a dramatic Reduced final, where the heavy favorites have fallen away and two unexpected qualifiers stand in to attempt a historic rise to Argentina’s premier division for the first time in their histories.
WHICH TEAMS WILL CONTEST THE FIRST NATIONAL 2023 REDUCED FINAL
The promotion match will pit Deportivo Maipú against Deportivo Riestra, two sides that advanced from Zone B into the competition’s Reduced stage. Maipú from Mendoza finished in third place, while Riestra from Bajo Flores finished seventh in their group.
On their path to the final, the Cuyo-based Maipú eliminated San Martín de San Juan in the second round, then Temperley in the quarterfinals and Estudiantes de Río Cuarto in the semifinal. Deportivo Riestra, meanwhile, knocked out San Martín de Tucumán, Quilmes, and Almirante Brown to reach the decisive match.
WHEN AND WHERE THE FIRST NATIONAL 2023 REDUCED FINAL WILL BE HELD
The second promotion final is scheduled for Saturday, December 2, at 5 p.m., and will take place at the Instituto stadium in Córdoba. TyC Sports will televise the match for viewers across the country.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE FINAL ENDS IN A TIE
Unlike previous editions, the Reduced final carries no built-in advantage. If the score is level after the 90 minutes, the match will proceed to two extra periods of 15 minutes each. Should the tie persist, promotion will be decided by a shootout.
(Goal)