MENDOZA (Interstat) — Platense scored twice in the final 11 minutes, including Bruno Sepulveda’s goal in the third minute of stoppage time, to earn a 2-1 victory over Gimnasia Mendoza at Estadio Víctor Antonio Legrotaglie on Friday. The visitors trailed for most of the match before turning the game around with two late goals. The match was played in Mendoza, Provincia de Mendoza, and the late sequence decided a contest that had been tilted toward the home side for long stretches.

Gimnasia Mendoza opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Augustin Modica found the net. Modica played 72 minutes and was replaced in the 72nd minute. The home side held the lead through the first half and much of the second, relying on an early advantage while Platense searched for an equalizer. Gimnasia Mendoza’s defense protected the lead until the closing stretch, but Platense’s pressure finally told when Juan Gauto equalized in the 79th minute. Gauto was on the field for the full 90 minutes and finished with one goal. Platense struggled to break through until the final stages, when its pressure began to produce openings.

The equalizer shifted the momentum and forced Gimnasia Mendoza to defend deeper. Platense continued to push forward, and the pressure produced the decisive moment in the 90th minute plus three. Bruno Sepulveda scored the winner for Platense after playing 10 minutes. The goal completed the comeback and gave Platense its second win across all competitions this season. Sepulveda’s late finish came after Franco Zapiola and Guido Mainero had helped create chances for the visitors. Zapiola played 32 minutes and recorded an assist, while Mainero played 18 minutes and had an assist. The visitors kept their composure after the equalizer and continued to send numbers forward.

Platense’s I. Gomez received a yellow card in the 31st minute. Gimnasia Mendoza’s D. Mondino was booked in the 67th minute. Platense made substitutions at the 58th minute involving Gomez and Merlini, at the 72nd minute involving Retamar and Saborido, and at the 80th minute involving Lencina. Gimnasia Mendoza made changes involving Cingolani in the 64th minute, Modica in the 72nd minute, and Lencioni and Fernandez in the 85th minute. The substitutions did not prevent Platense from finding late space in the attacking third.

Platense entered the match after a loss to Lanus, a draw with Argentinos Jrs, a draw at Velez Sarsfield and a win at Estudiantes L.P. Gimnasia Mendoza had lost to Velez Sarsfield, beaten Newells Old Boys and lost to Estudiantes L.P. The result moved Platense to one win, one loss and two draws in the competition, and two wins, one loss and two draws across all competitions. Gimnasia Mendoza dropped to one win and three losses in the competition and one win and three losses overall. The home loss left Gimnasia Mendoza still searching for consistency in the competition.

The key performances, in descending order of importance, included Gauto’s 90 minutes and one goal, Modica’s 72 minutes and one goal, Sepulveda’s 10 minutes and one goal, Zapiola’s 32 minutes and one assist, and Mainero’s 18 minutes and one assist. Gauto’s equalizer changed the match, while Modica had given the home side its early advantage. Sepulveda’s stoppage-time strike proved the difference, and the assists from Zapiola and Mainero helped Platense complete the rally.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Gimnasia Mendoza 1, Platense 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Gimnasia Mendoza with a 68.5 percent probability to win. Gimnasia Mendoza had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.25. The total score of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.25.