A place in the qualification stage of the Copa Sudamericana is within reach for Tigre, who travel to Estadio Diego Armando Maradona on Monday to face Argentinos Juniors on Matchday 7 of the second phase in the Argentine Primera Division.
El Bicho were eliminated from the Copa Argentina on Wednesday, losing 1-0 at home to Defensa y Justicia, while Tigre are three points back of a Sudamericana place next season, but winless in five straight domestic affairs.
Match preview
Argentinos have a few days to shake off a disappointing exit at the Copa Argentina and refocus on their current domestic campaign.
After missing out on one of the top South American competitions by two points last season, the club from La Paternal have put themselves in a much stronger position to avoid missing out on those tournaments again next year, currently sitting seventh in the overall standings, six points above the line for a place in the 2023 Copa Sudamericana.
Their form at home has played a big part in their success domestically this season, suffering only one defeat in league play, when they fell 1-0 to Defensa y Justicia in the opening phase.
When Gabriel Milito's team take to the field, you can expect a tight game with chances at a premium, as the last nine league fixtures involving Juniors have been decided by a goal or fewer, while they have not conceded more than once domestically at home.
Argentinos seem to get a considerable boost of energy from their fans, enabling them to start those matches brightly, tallying six times within the opening half-hour in their 10 domestic games played at home this season.
For a fourth successive encounter, a breakdown in intensity and focus in the latter stages cost Tigre last weekend as they drew 1-1 at home to Talleres Cordoba.
That was the second time in this competition phase that El Matador have squandered a second-half advantage, preventing them from climbing up the domestic table.
They have now dropped six points since matchday three, points that would have them in a Copa Sudamericana position next season.
Their struggles near the end of the opening round of this competition, when they went winless in their final four league games, has carried over into phase two, claiming only one victory so far after six matches.
Historically Tigre have never beaten Juniors on their home field in the Primera Division, with their previous visit taking place in 2016, when they squandered a one-goal advantage, playing to a 1-1 draw.
Although the results have not gone their way of late, Diego Martinez seems to have this group on a trajectory to remain in the top-flight, hovering near the middle of the aggregate table (13th).
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Team News
Nicolas Reniero notched his second of the domestic campaign last Friday to draw even with Thiago Nuss for the team lead, while Miguel Angel Torren scored the winner from the penalty spot with fewer than 15 minutes remaining as they outlasted Cordoba 2-1.
Javier Cabrera picked up his first assist in this phase of the competition on that opening goal, while Gabriel Avalos had the only tally for them in their first-round league semi-final match versus Tigre, which finished 1-1, with Juniors losing 3-1 on penalties after Reniero, David Zalazar and Fausto Vera all missed from 12 yards away.
Mateo Coronel is expected to miss a couple more weeks because of a contracture, while Milito went with the same starting 11 on Wednesday that he had in their previous domestic fixture versus Cordoba.
Victor Cabrera fired home his first goal in this phase of the competition for Tigre last Saturday as he is now in a four-way tie for second on the team alongside Diego Sosa, Facundo Colidio and Lucas Blondel.
Alexis Castro scored their only goal when they faced Juniors back in May, with Gonzalo Marinelli playing the hero role, stopping the first Juniors penalty kick, while he saw two other efforts against him hit the woodwork.
Pablo Magnin, Sebastian Prieto and Lucas Blondel all converted their spot-kicks, sending them into the first phase final, where they went on to lose 3-0 to Boca Juniors.
Agustin Baldi is the only injury concern for them at the moment as the midfielder has a sprained ankle which is expected to keep him out until late July, while Mateo Retegui, who is on loan from Boca Juniors is tied for second in goals domestically in this phase with three.
Argentinos Juniors possible starting lineup:
Lanzillota; Sanchez, Torren, Villalba; J. Cabrera, Coronel, Vera, G. Cabrera, Zalazar; Reniero, Veron
Tigre possible starting lineup:
Roffo; Blondel, V. Cabrera, Luciatti, Sosa; Fernandez; Protti, Menossi, Zabala, Colidio; Retegui
We say: Argentinos Juniors 2-1 Tigre
Even though they dropped their last home fixture on Wednesday, El Bicho play with a lot more structure and balance on their home field.
We expect them to use the crowd to their advantage again on Monday while also finding a way through a side who have conceded the second-most goals (10) in the second phase of this competition.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
