Goalkeeper José Devecchi strongly criticised the officiating after San Lorenzo de Almagro's 0-0 draw with Newell's Old Boys at the Nuevo Gasómetro. The result leaves Rubén Darío Insua's side in ninth place with 18 points, just one behind Independiente, who occupy the eighth and final playoff spot in the Torneo Clausura. San Lorenzo de Almagro sit 9th in the Liga Profesional Argentina on 18 points after 14 games, with a record of five wins, three draws and six losses.

"The match was even, but the referee conditioned us with the small fouls. He called them for them," explained the 31-year-old Devecchi, referring to the work of referee Luis Lobo Medina. The keeper added that "we needed to win to be able to ignite. Now we must continue." The main protest from El Ciclón came in the fourth minute, when a shot from Rodrigo Auzmendi touched Martín Ortega's arm inside the area, but the action was not given as a penalty even after a VAR review.

A match of few chances

San Lorenzo, who come into this match with a record of three wins, a draw and a loss in their last five games, failed to convert their territorial dominance. Visiting goalkeeper Josué Reinatti was key in saving a shot from Santiago Solari and a header from Mathías De Ritis. Meanwhile, the local defence, with Guzmán Corujo and Danilo Arboleda as starters, kept a clean sheet. The team has conceded twelve goals this season while scoring only seven, giving them a goal difference of minus five.

Coach Insua made several changes in search of a goal, bringing on Agustín Ladstatter for Auzmendi and Gustavo del Prete for Gonzalo Alassia. However, the team could not break the deadlock and registered their third draw of the season. Nicolás Tripichio and Luca Regiardo were booked in a match with few fouls but constant friction.

The countdown for El Ciclón

With this point, San Lorenzo de Almagro remains eleven points behind leaders Instituto de Córdoba and focuses all its attention on the fight for qualification. The team has two fixtures left to close the regular phase: a visit to fifth-placed Vélez Sarsfield next Saturday, October 31, and a home finale against Platense. The last meeting with El Fortín, in April, ended goalless. The squad must recover its offensive efficiency, having scored only seven goals all season, to try and make the jump in the standings. The match in Liniers shapes up as an early final.