Botta Stunner Lifts Defensa Y Justicia Past Wasteful Riestra

Defensa Y Justicia secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Deportivo Riestra at Estadio Guillermo Laza on Wednesday evening, with Rubén Botta’s first-half strike proving decisive in a match defined by contrasting fortunes in front of goal.

The visitors, languishing in 12th place with just 19 points from 16 matches, desperately needed points to arrest their alarming slide down the Liga Profesional Argentina table. Their recent form of four consecutive defeats had left them nine places and nine points adrift of their hosts, who entered the match sitting third with 28 points.

Botta provided the breakthrough on 29 minutes with a composed finish that would ultimately separate the sides. The goal came against the run of play, as Riestra had been the more aggressive side in the opening exchanges, registering seven shots compared to Defensa’s four by the interval.

The match took a dramatic turn in first-half stoppage time when VAR intervened to cancel what appeared to be a second goal for the visitors, with David Martínez seeing his effort ruled out after a lengthy review. The decision proved costly for Defensa, who would need to defend their slender advantage for the remainder of the contest.

Riestra’s profligacy in front of goal told the story of their evening. Despite dominating possession (54%) and registering 12 shots to their opponents’ five, they managed just two efforts on target. Their attacking intent was evident in the statistics – seven shots from inside the penalty area – yet they lacked the clinical edge required at this level.

The home side’s frustration boiled over as the match wore on, with five yellow cards reflecting their increasingly desperate attempts to find an equaliser. Facundo Miño, Pablo Monje, Miguel Barbieri, Ignacio Arce, and Jonathan Goitia all found their way into referee Hernan Mastrangelo’s notebook.

The victory lifts Defensa Y Justicia’s points-per-game average to 1.19 and provides a vital boost after their recent struggles. For Riestra, this defeat continues a concerning run of form that has seen them win just once in their last five outings, despite their impressive position in the table.

The result makes a mockery of pre-match predictions that favoured a 0-0 stalemate, highlighting football’s capacity to surprise even the most sophisticated statistical models.