Deportivo Maipú and San Martín de Tucumán played out a goalless draw at La Fortaleza, in the match corresponding to matchday 21 of Zone B of the Primera Nacional championship. The Cruzado, coming off a win against Atlético Rafaela, were unable to break down the resistance of the Santo from Tucumán, a direct rival in the fight for a place in the Reducido.
The match had a special flavor with the return of Enzo Pérez. The experienced midfielder, who once again wore the Botellero jersey, played 68 minutes in his reappearance for Deportivo Maipú. His presence in midfield brought experience and authority, though it was not enough to tip the balance.
With this result, Mariano Echeverría's side extended their unbeaten run to three consecutive matches, following a win and two draws in their recent outings. The positive streak allowed the Cruzado to reach 29 points in the standings, placing them seventh in Zone B.
San Martín de Tucumán, for their part, remain in the hunt for Reducido qualification, although the away draw is not a bad result given the competitiveness of the tournament. The Santo showed defensive solidity and managed to contain the home side's advances, who pushed forward insistently but lacked precision in the final third.
In the next round, Deportivo Maipú will visit Gimnasia y Tiro de Salta, a match that presents another opportunity to keep adding points and climb the table in the race for promotion. The Mendoza side will look to maintain the solidity shown in recent weeks and turn the home draw into momentum for the challenges ahead.
For San Martín, the away draw keeps them in the qualification zone, though they will need to fine-tune some offensive details if they are to break into the top positions. Defense remains their strong suit, but the lack of goals is a pending issue that the coaching staff will need to address in the coming fixtures.
The Primera Nacional continues with an increasingly tight battle in Zone B, where several teams are vying for the top spots. Deportivo Maipú, with their positive run, are hopeful of continuing to add points and dreaming of promotion to the top flight of Argentine football.
