SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO (Interstat) — Velez Sarsfield scored five unanswered goals and defeated Central Cordoba SdE 5-0 on Sunday in a competition match, led by Ronaldo Martinez’s hat trick and assist. Central Cordoba SdE could not find a goal despite playing at home. Velez Sarsfield’s five goals came without a response from Central Cordoba SdE. The visitors scored their goals in the seventh, 21st, 58th and 61st minutes before adding a fifth. The match was a competition fixture and counted toward both teams’ season records.

Matias Pellegrini opened the scoring in the seventh minute. Martinez doubled the lead in the 21st minute, and Velez carried a 2-0 advantage into halftime. After the break, Martinez scored again in the 58th minute and Lucas Robertone made it 4-0 in the 61st. Martinez completed his hat trick later in the second half as Velez reached five goals. Juan Policella also supplied an assist. The visitors kept the home side off the scoreboard through the final whistle. The fifth goal completed the scoring for Velez Sarsfield. Velez Sarsfield led 2-0 at halftime after the first two goals.

Central Cordoba’s Maciel A. R. was shown a red card in the 82nd minute. Velez’s Aliendro R. was sent off in the 87th minute, leaving both teams to finish with 10 men. The match included a series of substitutions. Central Cordoba made changes with Iacobellis M. in the 46th minute, Pignani J. in the 55th, Santos M. and Tijanovich H. in the 75th, and Sequeira L. in the 88th. Velez brought on Policella J. and Pellegrini M. in the 62nd minute, Robertone L. and Lanzini M. in the 78th, and Martinez R. in the 84th. In all, Central Cordoba made five substitutions and Velez Sarsfield made five. The red cards came after Velez had built its five-goal lead.

Martinez finished with three goals and an assist in 84 minutes. Pellegrini played 62 minutes and scored once. Robertone played 78 minutes and scored once, while Policella played 62 minutes and recorded an assist. Velez Sarsfield’s season record in the competition is now 2 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw, and its record across all competitions is also 2 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw. Central Cordoba SdE’s season record in the competition is now 0 wins, 2 losses and 2 draws, and its record across all competitions is also 0 wins, 2 losses and 2 draws. The records cover both the competition and all competitions for both clubs. Velez Sarsfield’s competition and all-competitions records are identical, as are Central Cordoba SdE’s competition and all-competitions records.

Velez entered the match after a 1-0 win over Gimnasia Mendoza, a 2-0 loss at Lanus and a 2-2 draw with Platense. Central Cordoba had lost 2-1 at Newell’s Old Boys, drawn 2-2 with Estudiantes L.P. and drawn 1-1 at Dep. Riestra. Velez’s previous result was a 1-0 victory against Gimnasia Mendoza, a match in which Martinez played 90 minutes. Central Cordoba’s most recent result before the match was a 2-1 loss at Newell’s Old Boys. Velez Sarsfield and Central Cordoba SdE each had four matches played in the competition after the result. The result gave Velez Sarsfield its second win in the competition this season and Central Cordoba SdE its second loss overall.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Central Cordoba SdE 1, Velez Sarsfield 1 before the match. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Central Cordoba SdE with a 62.4 percent probability to win. Velez Sarsfield had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 5 went under the over/under line of 2.5.