Leandro N. Alem stumbled again in General Rodríguez, and this defeat carried extra weight because it came after a match in which the home side produced more than its opponent. Gabriel Martínez Poch’s team lost 1-0 to Club Mercedes in round 29 of Primera C. Alem needed a victory to create breathing room in the fight for survival, yet another afternoon ended without reward and with an even narrower margin in the standings.
The opening half showed a more assertive Alem, capable of keeping most of the play in visiting territory. For 45 minutes the side pushed consistently, found routes toward the penalty area and created several opportunities to take the lead. The improvement from previous performances could be seen in its initiative and ability to sustain attacks. The problem was that none of that territorial superiority became the advantage the pattern of the game appeared to promise.
Poor finishing proved decisive because it allowed Mercedes to remain alive while spending long stretches far from the opposing goal. Alem made the greater effort but could not provide the final touch, so the goalless score at halftime already felt like a missed opportunity. In a contest shaped by urgency, every wasted approach added pressure to a squad enduring an uneven campaign and desperately needing to turn signs of footballing improvement into actual points.
The conditions changed after the interval when a heavy downpour hit the ground. The wet surface made the ball difficult to control, reduced the possibility of combining along the grass and forced both teams into a much more direct contest. That environment levelled the match: possession travelled quickly from one end to the other, developed moves disappeared and isolated incidents became more important. Mercedes adjusted better when the decisive moment arrived.
In the 63rd minute, the visitors were awarded a penalty and Leandro Amado converted it for the only goal of the afternoon. The 1-0 score punished Alem for failing to exploit its earlier dominance and gave Mercedes a narrow but precious lead to defend. The home team tried to respond in difficult conditions, although it could not recover its lost accuracy or break down an opponent that protected the advantage with increasing conviction until the final whistle.
The consequence in the table is serious. The Lechero remain second-bottom in Zone B with 28 points, four behind Argentino de Rosario, the team currently occupying the relegation playoff position. This was Alem’s fifteenth defeat of the year and it again highlighted the central issue of this period: the team can compete and create, but its work must become goals. With the gap to the danger area so small, encouraging passages without points provide little comfort.
The next assignment is an away match against Justo José de Urquiza, another chance to stop the slide. Alem must preserve the attitude displayed in the first half while adding composure in the opposing box and greater emotional control when events turn against it. Survival remains attainable, but the schedule is getting shorter and deserving a result is no longer enough. Every remaining round demands efficiency, concentration and points rather than explanations.
