VICTORIA, Argentina (Interstat) — Atl. Tucuman defeated Tigre 1-0 on Friday at Estadio José Dellagiovanna, scoring in the 72nd minute and holding on after a late sending-off to claim its first win of the competition. Tigre was the designated home team, while Atl. Tucuman was the visiting side. Rodriguez Ramiro Ruiz scored the only goal, finishing a move set up by Juan Infante. Atl. Tucuman then had to navigate the final stages with a man less after Ruiz was sent off, but Tigre could not find an equalizer. The result gave Atl. Tucuman its first victory of the season in the competition and left Tigre still searching for its first win.

The match was tight and physical from the start, and the card count reflected the intensity. Tigre’s Gonzalez S. was booked in the 32nd minute. Atl. Tucuman collected three yellow cards before halftime, with Vega L. cautioned in the 43rd and Ferreira Namandu C.D. in the 45th. Ruiz was booked in the 64th, then received a second yellow in the 75th and was sent off. The card log and Ruiz’s statline also included a red card, capping a busy night for the Atl. Tucuman player. The bookings disrupted the flow of the match and set up a tense finish. The first half ended without a goal, and the second half remained scoreless until Ruiz’s breakthrough.

The decisive sequence came after Atl. Tucuman absorbed pressure and worked the ball to Infante, who supplied the assist on Ruiz’s goal. Infante was listed with 90 minutes played and one assist. Ruiz was listed with 90 minutes played, one goal, a yellow card and a red card. Infante’s assist came on the game’s decisive play, and Ruiz’s finish was the only scoring play listed in the match report. The goal broke a scoreless match and forced Tigre to chase an equalizer over the final stages. Ruiz’s finish in the 72nd minute proved to be the difference, and Atl. Tucuman’s defense held firm after his dismissal. The goal was the only one of the game, and it came after a long spell in which neither side could break through.

Tigre made its first change at halftime, bringing on Barrionuevo A. The home side made a double substitution in the 67th minute with Russo I. and Lopez S. Atl. Tucuman turned to its bench in the 78th with Lamendola N., then made a double change in the 83rd with Godoy L. and Tesuri R. Tigre also used Alvarez F. and Saralegui J. in the 82nd minute. The substitutions were made in order as both teams tried to reshape the match. The changes could not alter the scoreline, though they gave both sides fresh legs for the closing stretch. Atl. Tucuman’s bench moves helped it protect the narrow lead after Ruiz’s red card.

Atl. Tucuman improved to 1-2-1 in the competition and across all competitions, while Tigre fell to 0-3-1 in both. Atl. Tucuman had entered after a 3-2 home loss to Rosario Central, a 1-1 draw at Gimnasia L.P. and a 3-2 home loss to Barracas Central. Tigre had drawn 2-2 at Ind. Rivadavia, lost 2-1 at home to Banfield and lost 2-1 at Argentinos Jrs. The win gave Atl. Tucuman a needed lift after a difficult start, while Tigre remained without a victory. The visitors made the most of their lone goal and left with three points from a match that had been scoreless until the 72nd minute.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tigre 1, Atl. Tucuman 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Tigre with a 77.6 percent probability to win. Tigre had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 1 went over the over/under line of 2.