A 1-1 draw after 120 minutes produced a penalty shootout that Argentinos JRS won 4-3, advancing to the semi-finals of the Copa de la Liga Profesional. The data tells a story of total territorial dominance by the home side that was not rewarded with victory in normal time, and then a shootout where the Lemeister model, which had given Argentinos JRS a 40 per cent win probability and projected a 1-0 home victory, ultimately proved correct, though the margin was far narrower than expected.
Defensa Y Justicia took an early lead against the run of play. R. Bogarín scored a normal goal in the 11th minute, assisted by L. Godoy. That single shot was a rare incursion; the away side managed only five total shots all match, with three on target and one shot off goal. Their only shot inside the box and their only blocked shot both occurred in that opening period. The goal forced Argentinos JRS to chase the game, which they did with relentless pressure that built steadily across the remaining 79 minutes of regulation time.
The home side's statistical supremacy was emphatic across every attacking metric. They recorded 68 per cent possession, 23 total shots to five, 14 corner kicks to three, and 506 total passes to 248 at an 82 per cent accuracy rate. The dominance in shots inside the box, 14 to five, illustrates that their pressure was concentrated in dangerous areas. However, the seven goalkeeper saves made by Defensa Y Justicia kept their team in the contest until the 85th minute, when A. Rodríguez equalised with a normal goal assisted by S. Prieto, finally breaking through after 13 second-half attempts.
The match rating sheet highlights the performers who shaped the contest across 120 minutes. Nicolas Oroz, who later scored in the shootout, earned a rating of 8.3 for Argentinos JRS, reflecting his influence in midfield and his role in sustaining pressure. Cristopher Fiermarín of Defensa Y Justicia was the highest-rated visiting player at 7.9, a rating that corresponds directly to his seven saves under constant bombardment. S. Prieto and A. Rodríguez each received 7.3, while Kevin Coronel posted a 7.2 for his contributions. For Defensa Y Justicia, Santiago Godoy also rated 7.3, indicating a solid defensive display despite the heavy shot volume faced.
The shootout was a marathon of nine penalties, with seven scored. E. Aguilera opened with a successful penalty for Defensa Y Justicia in the 121st minute, followed by N. Oroz converting for Argentinos JRS in the 122nd. K. López scored in the 128th, G. Verón in the 129th, and D. Rodríguez in the 132nd minute sealed the win for the home side. The decisive miss came from a Defensa Y Justicia taker. The two yellow cards, for Julián López of Defensa Y Justicia in the 80th minute and Santiago Montiel of Argentinos JRS in the 91st, had no direct impact on the scoreline but reflected the away side's more frequent fouling, committed 17 times compared to nine by the home side.
The result sees Argentinos JRS advance to the semi-finals of the Copa de la Liga Profesional. Their statistical domination, particularly the 23 total shots and 68 per cent possession, suggests they will be a difficult opponent for any side remaining in the competition. However, the inability to convert that advantage into a win inside 90 minutes, despite 14 shots inside the box and 14 corner kicks, may give their next opponent encouragement. For Defensa Y Justicia, elimination will be a harsh return for a resilient defensive performance that held on through 85 minutes of sustained pressure before succumbing in the shootout, with their goalkeeper's seven saves providing a foundation that ultimately could not be sustained.
