FORMOSA, Argentina (Interstat) — San Martin Formosa scored twice in the first half and held Olimpo Bahia Blanca without a goal in a 2-0 home victory Sunday at Estadio 17 de Octubre. Lautaro Ceratto opened the scoring in the 11th minute, and Ricardo Tapia added the second in the 27th. Olimpo Bahia Blanca played with 10 men for most of the match after Guille B. was sent off in the 14th minute. The game was played in Ciudad de Formosa, Provincia de Formosa.

The hosts took control early and never trailed. Ceratto’s goal gave San Martin Formosa the lead, and Tapia’s finish 16 minutes later provided a cushion. The red card against Olimpo Bahia Blanca came one minute after Moiraghi N. was booked, further disrupting the visitors’ plans. Olimpo Bahia Blanca could not produce a response before halftime and remained scoreless after the break.

Olimpo Bahia Blanca’s disciplinary trouble continued beyond the sending-off. Moiraghi N. received a yellow card in the 13th minute, and Guille B. was dismissed in the 14th. Olimpo Bahia Blanca also had players booked in the 39th and 57th minutes. San Martin Formosa protected its two-goal lead through the second half and finished with a clean sheet.

Tapia and Ceratto each played the full 90 minutes and scored once for San Martin Formosa. Their goals came in the opening half-hour and gave the home side the advantage it needed. Olimpo Bahia Blanca’s defense settled after the early damage but could not find a goal at the other end. The result gave San Martin Formosa its second victory in the competition.

San Martin Formosa’s competition record is now two wins, no losses and two draws. Olimpo Bahia Blanca’s competition record is now one win, one loss and one draw. The teams hold identical records across all competitions: San Martin Formosa at two wins, no losses and two draws, and Olimpo Bahia Blanca at one win, one loss and one draw. San Martin Formosa remained unbeaten in the competition.

San Martin Formosa had drawn 1-1 with Olimpo Bahia Blanca in their most recent head-to-head meeting. San Martin Formosa also had drawn 1-1 with Biblioteca Atenas and had beaten Biblioteca Atenas 1-0 earlier this season. Olimpo Bahia Blanca had beaten Chivilcoy 2-1 in its previous competition match before facing San Martin Formosa again. The early goals reversed the close result from the teams’ prior meeting.

The opening goal arrived when Ceratto finished for San Martin Formosa, and the lead grew when Tapia scored 16 minutes later. Olimpo Bahia Blanca’s chances of a comeback were damaged by the red card and the yellow cards that followed. San Martin Formosa managed the remaining time without conceding. The home side’s two first-half goals proved sufficient.

The victory added to San Martin Formosa’s unbeaten start in the competition. Olimpo Bahia Blanca, which had won its previous competition match against Chivilcoy, could not build on that result. San Martin Formosa’s draw with Olimpo Bahia Blanca in the teams’ most recent meeting had been a 1-1 result. This time, the home side converted its early chances and kept the visitors off the scoreboard.

Before the match, Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of San Martin Formosa 1, Olimpo Bahia Blanca 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected San Martin Formosa with a 76.3 percent probability to win. San Martin Formosa had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 2 went under the over/under line of 1.5.