Ferro took another highly valuable step in the race for Primera Nacional Zone B. Juan Manuel Sara’s team beat Defensores de Belgrano 1-0 in Bajo Núñez in round 31 and used Deportivo Morón’s defeat to extend its lead at the top to six points. With five matchdays remaining, the victory combined the right result, competitive character and a perfect sense of opportunity.
Rain and a difficult playing surface shaped the afternoon, but Ferro quickly found the incident it needed. After ten minutes, González provided the assist and Emanuel Dening scored the only goal. Taking an early lead allowed the visitors to organise the game from a favourable position and transferred the obligation to Defensores, who had to search for spaces on a pitch unsuitable for elaborate passing football.
Dening’s contribution did not end with the opening finish. In the 31st minute he connected with a header that struck the post and nearly doubled the margin before halftime. That chance showed Ferro had not travelled merely to protect an advantage. The leaders sought to hurt their opponents after regaining possession, maintained an attacking presence and forced the Dragón to remain cautious even while needing to push higher.
The second half remained tense because the score never provided room for relaxation. Twenty-two minutes after the restart, a Dening cross created another dangerous incident and Gamarra almost scored an own goal, with the post again setting the limit. González later found himself facing goal but could not finish. Ferro created opportunities to settle the contest, yet the missing second goal kept Defensores alive.
The hosts also tried to equalise as the contest became increasingly direct. Marra attempted a long-range shot and Medina responded to preserve the clean sheet. That intervention carried the same weight as an attacking chance: when a team is fighting at the top, defending a narrow lead on a heavy surface is part of competitive maturity. Ferro resisted the closing spell without losing the organisation established after scoring.
Other results gave the 1-0 its full dimension. Deportivo Morón’s defeat enabled the Verdolaga to create a six-point lead with five rounds still to play. A substantial road remains and there is no room to confuse an advantage with a completed objective, but the gap offers control. Ferro depend on themselves, and every victory reduces the time and space available to the teams attempting to catch them.
The next assignment is at home to Deportivo Madryn on Friday at 19:00. Ferro will arrive carrying the momentum of an uncomfortable away win secured in the rain on a day that also featured club elections. Sara’s challenge is to preserve concentration, finish chances more quickly and prevent mathematical comfort from changing the intensity that brought his team to first place.
