Douglas Haig defeated Bartolomé Mitre 3-0 at Estadio Ernesto Tito Cucchiaroni in Posadas in round five of Torneo Federal A Championship Zone A. The Pergamino side produced a broad away victory on Hernán “Tota” Medina's debut as head coach. The result extended their positive run and moved them into second place with three matchdays remaining in this stage of the competition.
The Fogonero began with quick circulation, combination play and a constant search down the wings. Mitre fielded several young players and struggled to match the visitors' early pace. The breakthrough came around the 20th minute: Boris Magnago collected a rebound inside the area, shaped past the defence and finished powerfully to establish a 1-0 lead for the Buenos Aires team on Misiones ground.
Douglas used that impact and doubled the difference only two minutes later. A free kick from the left found Jonatan Palacio, who prevailed in the air and headed the ball home for 2-0. Two closely connected actions transformed the afternoon completely: the first resolved a rebound and the second rewarded a set piece, leaving the hosts with a difficult deficit before the interval.
After half-time, Mitre moved their lines forward and tried to find a reply. Goalkeeper Gabriel Ratalín responded when the Posadas side managed to approach and preserved the clean sheet. Douglas did not abandon their plan and found a third goal after 70 minutes. Substitute Lautaro Ojeda recovered the ball centrally and drove a shot from outside the area to close the 3-0 victory.
The performance carried additional value because of the coaching change. Medina began his tenure with a structure combining firmness, width and effectiveness in decisive moments. Joaquín Castellano also stood out through his ability to unbalance the defence, while the three scorers represented different lines of the team. Victory did not rely upon a single figure but upon responses distributed throughout the contest.
Douglas Haig recorded a second consecutive win and reached eight points, enough for second place in Championship Zone A. They remain five points behind unbeaten leaders San Martín de Formosa. Mitre, meanwhile, extended their winless sequence to five matches, stayed ninth on one point and reduced their room to influence the outcome of a stage already moving towards its final three rounds.
Douglas next host Sol de América at Estadio Miguel Morales. Mitre travel to Córdoba to visit Sportivo Belgrano in San Francisco. The Fogonero will try to turn the momentum of Medina's debut into continuity in the upper contest; the Posadas team need to restore effectiveness and points after an afternoon in which two early blows established a gap they never managed to reduce.
