Platense will bid to climb into the top four of the Argentine Primera Division on Wednesday, when they play host to Estudiantes.
The hosts sit eighth after eight outings but with just a one-point gap to third and fourth spots and a three-point gap to leaders Belgrano, while their visitors find themselves 12th with just six points on the board.
Match preview
Platense headed into the second phase of the Argentine Primera Division season on the back of a relatively mixed first phase, as they finished 17th in the regular season having earned 34 points from their 27 outings, three points behind 11th-placed Atletico Tucuman and six outside the top 10.
The new campaign then began in mid-August, and the Calamares had to endure a slow start, picking up just a single point from their opening three outings with a stalemate at home to Defensa y Justicia falling between defeats to Boca Juniors and Central Cordoba.
A first victory at home to Lanus was then followed by their third defeat of the second phase, being beaten 3-0 away at Belgrano, but Martin Palermo's side now head into Wednesday's game having boosted their top-four hopes with an improved run in recent weeks, scoring seven points from their last three outings as they firstly scored a 1-0 triumph over Union thanks to Nicolas Servetto's goal on the hour mark.
The Calamares then played out a goalless draw with Argentinos Juniors before most recently travelling to Racing Club and leaving with three crucial points, eventually holding on for a 2-1 victory after Nicolas Castro and Ronaldo Martinez initially had them 2-0 up until the 85th minute.
With that upturn in form inspiring a climb to eighth spot, Platense now sit just a single point behind the four quarter-final places in their group with six matches to play, and they will aim to take another step towards qualifying by making it back-to-back wins and four games unbeaten on Wednesday.
They meet an Estudiantes side who will aim to put a difficult start to the second phase behind them, after enjoying an impressive regular season in which they finished fifth with 45 points from their 27 matches, courtesy of 12 victories while only suffering six defeats.
Then turning their focus to the second-phase group stage with the aim of a top-four finish and quarter-final progression, Los Pincharratas failed to make an instant impact, losing each of their opening three matches at the hands of Belgrano, Union and Racing Club, before their wait for a first win continued with goalless stalemates against Tigre and San Lorenzo.
With just two points on the board from five outings, Eduardo Dominguez's side then travelled to take on Newell's Old Boys and succeeded in scoring a first victory of the group at the sixth time of asking, as Jose Sosa netted the only goal of the game on the hour mark, but they were unable to build on that meaningfully and charge towards the top four, then drawing 0-0 at home to Gimnasia La Plata before losing 1-0 at home to Godoy Cruz in their last top-flight outing as Tadeo Allende hit the only goal of the game in the first half.
Los Pincharratas do, however, now head into Wednesday on the back of a cup victory, having travelled to Huracan for a Copa Argentina quarter-final tie on Friday and advanced with a 2-0 victory courtesy of a Lucas Souto own goal and Santiago Ascacibar's 41st-minute finish, booking their place in the final four as a result.
Now finding themselves six points outside of the four quarter-final places in their second-phase group with six games left to play as a result of their poor start, Estudiantes will be desperate to build on their cup win on Wednesday and put three more points on the board to keep their hopes of progression alive.
Team News
Platense may opt to deploy an unchanged starting XI on Wednesday following their win away at Racing Club, with attacker Nicolas Servetto likely remaining sidelined by injury having missed their last two matches.
In his absence, Ronaldo Martinez will continue to lead the line in a 4-3-3 shape after opening his account for the second phase last time out, while Nicolas Castro continues to play a key role in midfield and will again lend support to the attack having netted two group goals so far.
Sasha Marcich and Ciro Rius should both keep their places either side of Martinez up front, while at the other end of the pitch, Gaston Suso and Ignacio Vazquez will continue to partner up in the middle of the back four.
Estudiantes will also not make wholesale changes from their recent cup win over Huracan, although defender Eros Mancuso will drop out, as he will serve a suspension after being sent off in their last league outing against Godoy Cruz.
Former Newcastle United defender Federico Fernandez may also miss out in defence, having been absent for the Huracan meeting, meaning Santiago Nunez and Ezequiel Munoz could again partner up in the middle of the defence.
Likely sticking with a 4-4-2 shape, their line could again be led by Mauro Mendez and Benjamin Rollheiser, who netted six goals in the regular Argentine Primera Division season, while Mauro Boselli is also vying to come back into the attack from the outset.
Platense possible starting lineup:
Macagno, Lozano, Suso, Vazquez, Infante; Diaz, Picco, Castro; Rius, Martinez, Marcich
Estudiantes possible starting lineup:
Andujar; Godoy, Nunez, Munoz, Benedetti; Sosa, Rodriguez, Ascacibar, Zapiola; Mendez, Rollheiser
We say: Platense 2-1 Estudiantes
The visitors will travel with renewed confidence following their recent cup win, but Platense are in the far better form in the second phase of the Argentine Primera Division, and with home advantage we fancy them to make it back-to-back wins on Wednesday.
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Top tip
Sam Varley
