00:10In Avogadneira, Racing against Caracas, progression in this year's Commodore Suramericana on the line tonight.
00:22Zuccolini lobs the ball forward and asks the first question of that back line as it's headed back to Frank
00:27Carlos Benitez
00:28for the first touch for the goalkeeper. Gustavo Costas watching on, the manager who led Racing to this title at
00:38the end of 2024.
00:44Despite the poor run of formers, managed to stay relatively outside of the supporters' anger.
00:50They're on the defence here. Great attack and it's into the back of the net. Caracas lead early.
00:56A sweeping counterattack after only two minutes. And Racing find themselves behind. Inside a minute, in fact.
01:06What a start for the Venezuelans. Racing cut wide open with so much ease.
01:18Space down the left. Run into the channel. Looks onside from there as the ball's played in.
01:24I think the final touch comes off Rojas as an own goal. And it certainly does. Rojas getting there behind
01:34the striker who fails to make a touch.
01:36And it's Rojas who turns it behind and past Aguilomonti.
01:41Can you keep it in play down in the corner? And he can.
01:45He also brings it back to Rojas who crosses. He drops all the way behind for Madurena.
01:50Ah! Racing a level. Four minutes in. And the second goal.
01:58That is a response.
02:01Huge credit to Tomas Perez for keeping the ball in play.
02:05And it's Rojas, the man, conceding the own goal just two minutes ago.
02:10Who provides the assist. It's poor defending, in truth, again at the other end.
02:14As the ball is allowed to skip its way through all the way to Madurena.
02:19Huge mistake here from Luis Mago, the captain, to allow that to bounce.
02:24And then Madurena's shot. Squeeze.
02:28Looks for the return. Correa.
02:31Looks to cross.
02:33Cross to go straight behind for a goal kick.
02:44Pérez. Lays it wide for Martirena.
02:48Cross from the right. This time at the near post.
02:51Defending this time by Mago.
02:57Marquez breaking.
03:01Cross from deep. Looking for Fernandez. Doesn't reach him.
03:07Mago. Wide for Yendiz.
03:11Yendiz.
03:19Brocas into the six-yard box. Headed on goal.
03:21And Benitez tips to Cesare's header over the crossbar.
03:27Tienes que ganar. Tienes que ganar.
03:30Tienes que ganar.
03:30Tienes que ganar.
03:30Tienes que ganar.
03:34Tienes que ganar.
03:41Tienes que ganar.
03:42Delivery. Same play.
03:47Rojas again.
03:48With the delivery. Same play.
03:50And this time headed wide by Manají Martinez.
04:04Offside flag.
04:05Goes up.
04:07Perhaps hoping to have Rojas making that run outside.
04:09Just behind the play. Didn't get there in time.
04:11Hernandez.
04:12Goes between two in blue and white.
04:14Robert Hernandez still going.
04:15Reds are passed forward.
04:17Racing look for the offside flag.
04:19It does now go up.
04:22They need to do so and they are out of this year's Sudamericana.
04:26It's very, very simple.
04:28At least tonight for Racing.
04:30It's Fernandez.
04:31Goes for goal.
04:33More bouncing.
04:35A couple of times before harmlessly going wide.
04:38Numbers are allowing Racing to go wide.
04:41But they stand off Zucolini.
04:42Thought about delivering the cross in from the Sosa.
04:45Sosa.
04:45Looking for the forward run of Martireno.
04:47We'll get another chance here.
04:48Onto the edge of the area.
04:50And a snapshot from Perez over the top of the crossbar.
04:52Not exactly Motu, but plays a pass with the legs of Sosa.
04:55Played out wide onto the far side for Wilfred Correa.
04:59Correa is low cross.
05:00Turned behind for a corner off Zucolini.
05:09No delivery scuffed.
05:10It's smashed away by Miljkovic.
05:16Two banks of four or a four and a five really leading only Fernandez forward.
05:21But they've been cut open on this occasion.
05:23Martireno will get there.
05:25Low cross in.
05:28Sosa.
05:30Miljkovic.
05:31Let's run.
05:32Martireno's there.
05:34And a sliding challenge.
05:35Big appeals for a handball.
05:40It was Mago sliding in with Martireno.
05:43Taking the ball behind for a corner.
05:45It's a racing strong appeal for the handball.
05:49Martireno onside.
05:50It's good pass by Miljkovic.
05:52Mago's sliding in and it is an arm.
05:54By the look of things.
05:57And after all that time indeed John Espino is being told to come across to the monitor
06:02and take a look at this.
06:05There's the contact as you see right underneath the arm.
06:10The fact that Franklin Kongo's asking the referees to come and take a look at it would suggest
06:17it's one of those again that when it takes this long, is it really such an error?
06:23Penalties being given.
06:30Martinez, since the top corner.
06:33And Racing lead.
06:37Wonderfully executed from Racing's main man.
06:44Sent off in controversial fashion against Rosario Central in their last game as they
06:49exited Argentina's domestic season.
06:54Making amends with the perfect penalty.
06:58There was no stopping that.
07:01Renita's going the wrong way anyway.
07:03Even if he'd guessed correctly, he would not have stopped that penalty.
07:09Three goals in recent weeks for Mathias Serracho.
07:13Or tonight, three of the last six goals in fact scored by Racing in all competitions.
07:22Corvea to the back post.
07:24Corvea's there.
07:25What a chance that was.
07:27In the end, Zuccolini gets back and makes the life-saving challenge.
07:33Furious with his teammates.
07:36Pérez.
07:36Pérez.
07:38Knocks it back to Sosa.
07:40Pulling the strings as always.
07:42From that deep holding position, Miljevic lets fly from a long way out.
07:46It's blocked.
07:48Wanted to deliver the cross.
07:50But the half-time whistle blows instead.
07:52And the sides will make their way off with Racing in front at the end of an eventful first 45
07:59minutes.
08:00Racing two.
08:01Caracas one.
08:03The visitors leading.
08:05No changes made by either manager at half-time.
08:09And we are back on the way.
08:11At the Cilindro.
08:12Racing two.
08:13Caracas one.
08:19Racing look for an offside.
08:21And the flag does indeed come up against Robert Hernandez.
08:23Or just flipped into his path.
08:28Filled away by Pardo.
08:30Can tear him out of position.
08:32It's down to Luis Mago.
08:34Pérez.
08:35Gets the shot quickly.
08:36Hastily.
08:38It's wide of the near post as Adrian Fernandez remains down after that collision with Santiago Sosa.
08:46In with a hope of progressing to the last 16.
08:50Vital win for them against the Enciano.
08:56Fernandez.
08:57Who played behind.
08:58Covea is chasing.
08:59Gets their first.
09:01Covea.
09:02Held up briefly.
09:04Matrena.
09:05Doing his job defensively before a flag does eventually go up.
09:11Rojas.
09:19That's behind for a corner.
09:20Two racings.
09:22They prepare to make that first change of the evening.
09:32Rojas with the delivery.
09:34Headed away by La Rotonda.
09:36But.
09:37Gonechny coming in.
09:39Did start alongside Mario Martinez in the last game against Rosario Centro.
09:49Gonechny coming in.
09:50Two changes being readied by the visitors.
09:52In response to that double change made by Rassi.
09:57The cross sends in from the left.
09:58The flag already going up.
10:02Gonechny.
10:03Gonechny has drifted out onto this left hand side.
10:05And will be inclined to do that in a way that perhaps Perez wasn't.
10:09Matrena steps inside one.
10:10Goes for goal.
10:11And that is just wide of the near post.
10:13Gonechny.
10:14Recundo Cambese's watching on suspended tonight.
10:17Rassi's usual number one.
10:24Free kick.
10:25Sent in.
10:26Drops inside the box.
10:28Shot blocked.
10:29Still not away as it bubbles inside the area.
10:31And that's a super stop from Tagliamonte.
10:34Marquez.
10:34This block will be a corner, first real save that Tagliamontes had to make, and it's a super one.
10:46Corvea with the delivery again, another header on goal, another save, along the cross, it's poked in, they do have
10:54their equaliser, Caracas are level, and having made two wonderful saves in the minute preceding the corner.
11:04Tagliamontes sees the ball, bubble along the crossbar, fall down into danger, and is eventually poked in by Goudinho.
11:20It's a goal fitting of what has been a bizarre game, in an empty stadium, but it has to go
11:27down as an error from Tagliamontes.
11:30The initial save onto the crossbar, and he tries to lend, just give it the fingertips over the crossbar, fails
11:38to do so, and sees it drop down.
11:44Almost on the ball forwards, Conecini's there, hits it first time, good stop from Benitez.
11:57I think he's a little unfortunate, the officials are not looking at that challenge on him, Martinez with the layoff,
12:05Conecini with the strike, can't head off.
12:07It's the defeat of Conecini, there's the layoff, Milchivic lays it wide, Martirena's there, goes on the outside, Martirena, Martirena,
12:17chance for, surely, surely, surely.
12:22Somehow, Martínez doesn't pull the trigger, and it ends in the hands of Benitez.
12:29Gustavo Costas cannot believe what he has just seen.
12:41To come in and join the attack, Rodriguez, Martirena, Quintero's there again.
12:47Milchivic thought about the shots, but Cudinho's there to clear.
12:51Behind for a corner, five minutes remaining, with Rojas about to take this latest set piece.
12:58Rojas, delivered to the edge of the six-yard box, headed away by Mago, and volleyed clear up to halfway.
13:11Just a throw on this occasion, Martirena takes it quickly back to Vergara.
13:18Hernandez pulls it back, Rojas, Rojas, still Rojas, delivers to the back post, Conecini's there, heads back across.
13:26Can't find Sosa, Martirena.
13:30Shot comes in, Fernández, hitting it first time.
13:34For Racing to find a winner, the long ball forward, Martirena wins the header, drops to Conecini.
13:38Conecini back to Martirena, into the box, chested down.
13:42Not yet away, the shot that comes in, Balthazar Rodriguez off target.
13:47And that might be that.
13:50And it's the full-time whistle.
13:52It's all over in Avijanera.
13:56Racing are out of the Commonwealth Sudamericana.
14:00It ends Racing 2, Caracas 2, the Venezuelans.
14:04Racing 2, Gary Morris.
14:05Let's go.
14:06Looking there, if you can't understand this show.
14:08Let's go.
14:10Let's go.
14:10Let's go.
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