San Lorenzo de Cafayate drew 0-0 at home to Juventud Antoniana and advanced to the third phase of the Women's Torneo Regional Federal Amateur. Qualification rested upon the 1-0 victory earned eight days earlier at Estadio Fray Honorato Pistoia. The Cafayate side protected that narrow difference throughout the 90-minute return and completed the series with a 1-0 aggregate score.
Juventud arrived needing to score and took responsibility for the search from the beginning. They created several situations, produced shots that passed close to the posts and also struck the crossbar. San Lorenzo knew a draw was sufficient, but the advantage offered no room to relax: one opposing goal could change the entire tie and carry the decision into another stage.
Goalkeeper Laura “Nena” Ibáñez played a central part in the resistance. She responded to the Santitas' attacks and maintained a clean sheet as the visitors increased their pressure. Her performance was not an isolated detail but the foundation for a team defending the smallest possible lead. Every save and every cleared ball brought Cafayate closer to securing qualification.
José “Jota” Cortés's squad entered the match affected by injuries and several absences but retained its order until the end. Players from Cafayate, Santa María and Colalao del Valle formed a collective response that did not break. As time passed, defence became control of the series, until the final whistle transformed a scoreless draw into a result worthy of a full celebration.
The tie also exposed material differences between the clubs. The first leg took place on the grass of the historic Honorato Pistoia, while the return was decided on a dirt pitch in Cafayate. San Lorenzo operated with a more modest structure and fewer resources but used their conditions, won in the provincial capital and then preserved the lead in their own environment.
The path already included the elimination of Michel Torino, and overcoming Juventud Antoniana expanded the dimension of this campaign. The Ciclón did not need to dominate every phase in order to compete effectively: they struck away from home in the opening match and resisted at home in the second. That combination of opportunity and discipline removed opponents carrying the greater attacking obligation.
San Martín de Tucumán will be the next opponent. Initial scheduling places the first match in Cafayate on Saturday 29 August and the return in Tucumán on 5 September. San Lorenzo approach another demanding series with a tested base: the ability to compete away, the strength to protect a narrow margin and qualification that increases belief throughout women's football in the Calchaquí Valley.
