With Lionel Scaloni in the stands, honored by Marcelo Bielsa during halftime, Newell’s and Independiente Rivadavia couldn’t find a breakthrough and ended their match without scoring. Ezequiel Centurión played a crucial role in keeping the game goalless in Rosario, making five saves that helped Cicotello’s team maintain their sixth clean sheet in 2024.
The first half left positive impressions. There was constant back and forth, with Newell’s having the clearest opportunities thanks to Panchito González, who initially started on the right flank. With Éver Banega dropping back into Méndez’s team axis, González moved across the attacking front, creating several dangerous chances.
Independiente Rivadavia, on the other hand, posed problems for the home team down the left flank with the partnership of Sebastián Villa and Tobías Ostchega, setting up the game to play on the counter against the Rosario side. They lined up in a 5-3-2 formation, with their full-backs pushing forward quickly to exploit the spaces behind Newell’s defenders, creating their clearest chances from that area.
However, as the minutes passed, especially at the start of the second half, the match became more scrappy and interrupted. Goal-scoring opportunities dwindled, while crosses, fouls, and physical play dominated in a game where both teams lacked attacking clarity, largely due to physical exhaustion. This led to predictable attacks and limited creativity from both sides, resulting in the match ending in a goalless draw.
In this manner, the team from Mendoza secured a valuable point in a challenging encounter, especially considering they face a tough stretch ahead with matches against Independiente, Atlético Tucumán, Boca Juniors, and Talleres in the next four rounds. Meanwhile, Newell’s continues to struggle with scoring goals, having scored only twice in their last six matches, and they will aim to bounce back against CASLA.