Estudiantes entered the second leg of their women’s Primera B playoff round of 16 with a significant but not decisive advantage. The 3-1 victory over Deportivo Morón in City Bell gave them a two-goal margin for the return. The match was scheduled for Sunday, October 4 at 16:00 at UAI Urquiza’s complex, with a quarter-final place as the immediate prize.
That cushion was built through a strong first-leg performance. Candela Ledesma opened the scoring after a corner from the right, and Agostina Fortti extended the lead before halftime. The striker scored again early in the second half to make it 3-0. Dolores Fernández quickly pulled one back for Morón, preventing a wider gap and keeping the tie within a recoverable range.
The regulations defined every scenario clearly. Estudiantes advanced with a win, a draw or a one-goal defeat. Losing by two would level the aggregate score and send the tie to penalties, while a defeat by three or more would eliminate them. The lead provided protection but did not justify passivity: defending only near their own area could increase pressure from the home team.
Coach Sofía Vendittuoli selected a 21-player squad. Goalkeepers Delfina Andechaga, Laura Rivarola and Paula Montes de Oca were included, while the list also retained Ledesma, Fortti, Camila Gomensoro and Agustina López, regular figures in the campaign. The only change from the previous squad was Rocío Socci’s absence and the return of young player Moira Reyes.
The sporting challenge was to manage the series without abandoning the tools that had created the advantage. In the first match, Estudiantes found space for Fortti, pressed effectively and restricted Morón to few clear attacks. Reproducing that functioning could move play away from their own goal. Keeping possession and threatening in transition were as important as protecting the aggregate result.
The tie belonged to a promotion playoff distributing places in Argentina’s top division. The return therefore represented more than survival in one round: it offered the chance to maintain the competitive project during the decisive part of the season. Estudiantes had completed an uneven regular phase and needed to use the 3-1 win as a platform for renewed confidence and continuity.
The verifiable information at this update is the position in which both teams reached the game: a two-goal Estudiantes lead, clearly defined rules and a confirmed venue. The return result is not yet contained in an available official report, so assigning a score or qualification would be unjustified. That caution protects accuracy without erasing the value of a series Estudiantes had placed on favourable terms in City Bell.
