Newell's OB vs Córdoba: Overview

In a tense and dramatic encounter at the Estadio Marcelo Alberto Bielsa, "Newell's Old Boys" and "Central Córdoba" battled to a 1-1 draw in the fourth round of the Liga Profesional de Fútbol. The August 9, 2025 match had seemed destined to deliver a narrow victory for the hosts after Gonzalo Maroni's 85th-minute strike, but Gastón Verón's equalizer in the final minute of regular time ensured the points were shared.

The electric atmosphere in Rosario reflected the significance of this clash between two top-half teams, with the passionate Leprosos faithful creating a cauldron of noise throughout. The stadium erupted when Maroni found the net with a well-placed finish, but was silenced minutes later by Verón's opportunistic equalizer.

This result marks a historical moment in the rivalry, as it's the first draw between these sides in their recent head-to-head history. For "Newell's Old Boys", currently sitting 18th in the table, the dropped points at home represent a missed opportunity to climb closer to mid-table security. Meanwhile, visitors "Central Córdoba", positioned 16th, will be delighted with the away point that helps maintain their position ahead of their hosts in the standings.

Cristian Fabbiani's "Newell's" side showed glimpses of quality but struggled to capitalize on their chances until late in the game. Omar de Felippe's "Central Córdoba" demonstrated the resilience that has characterized their recent improvements, proving they can compete effectively away from home against traditionally stronger opposition.

"We showed character to find the late goal, but then lost concentration at a crucial moment. This feels like two points dropped rather than one gained at home. However, I must praise the effort of my players who fought until the end," reflected "Newell's Old Boys" coach Cristian Fabbiani after the match.

"Coming to a difficult venue like the Bielsa and securing a point shows the growth of this team. We never stopped believing even after conceding late, and that mentality will serve us well through the season," said a satisfied Omar de Felippe, "Central Córdoba" manager.

"We thought we had done enough to secure all three points. The late equalizer is tough to take, but we must learn from these moments and be more clinical earlier in matches," stated veteran midfielder Éver Banega, who orchestrated much of "Newell's" play throughout the 90 minutes.

"This result continues our positive momentum. To come from behind at a stadium like this demonstrates our character. We're proving we can compete with any team in the Liga Profesional," commented Central Córdoba captain Jonathan Galván.

"The draw reflects a match where both teams had periods of dominance. Newell's looked more threatening throughout, but Central Córdoba's resilience earned them a deserved point," analyzed former Argentina international and pundit Juan Pablo Sorín in his post-match assessment.

The statistics tell the story of a closely contested match with "Newell's Old Boys" edging possession at 54% compared to "Central Córdoba's" 46%. The hosts registered 14 shots with 5 on target, while the visitors managed 9 attempts with 3 testing goalkeeper Alejo Montero.

Corner kicks favored the home side by a margin of 7-3, reflecting their territorial advantage throughout much of the encounter. The disciplinary count showed a physical match with "Newell's" receiving 3 yellow cards compared to "Central Córdoba's" 4, though neither side had a player dismissed.

Individually, veteran playmaker Éver Banega was the standout performer for "Newell's", completing an impressive 91% of his 87 passes and creating 4 clear chances. His midfield battle with "Central Córdoba's" Jose Florentín was particularly noteworthy, with Florentín making 6 successful tackles and 3 interceptions.

Gonzalo Maroni, beyond scoring the opener, recorded 3 successful dribbles and won 5 duels in the final third. For the visitors, goalkeeper Alan Aguerre made 4 crucial saves against his former club, while Lucas Besozzi's tireless running saw him cover 11.2 kilometers – the highest of any player on the pitch in this Liga Profesional de Fútbol encounter.

Set-piece efficiency showed a clear contrast between the teams, with "Newell's" converting just 1 of their 7 corners into a shot on target, while "Central Córdoba" managed to create dangerous opportunities from 2 of their 3 corner kicks.

15' - First significant chance of the match fell to "Newell's" when Gonzalo Maroni's curling effort from the edge of the box forced a diving save from former Leproso goalkeeper Alan Aguerre.

37' - "Central Córdoba" threatened on the counter as Lucas Besozzi broke through on the right flank, but his cutback was intercepted by a sliding Víctor Cuesta just as Leonardo Heredia was poised to strike.

53' - Tactical adjustment by "Newell's" coach Fabbiani saw David Sotelo move into a more advanced position, immediately creating more space for Banega to dictate play from deeper areas.

72' - Double substitution for "Central Córdoba" with Gastón Verón entering the fray, a change that would ultimately prove decisive for the visitors.

85' GOAL! - Breakthrough for "Newell's Old Boys" as Gonzalo Maroni capitalized on a clever through ball from Éver Banega, slotting past Aguerre into the bottom corner to send the Bielsa into raptures.

90' GOAL! - Dramatic equalizer for "Central Córdoba" against the run of play! Substitute Gastón Verón reacted quickest to a loose ball following a corner, stabbing home from close range to silence the home crowd.

93' - Final opportunity for "Newell's" to reclaim the lead as Luciano Ramón Herrera's powerful header from Martino's cross sailed agonizingly wide of the post in the dying seconds of stoppage time.

This 1-1 draw represents a notable departure from the historical pattern between "Newell's Old Boys" and "Central Córdoba", marking the first stalemate in their recent rivalry. Previously, "Newell's" had dominated with 7 victories from their last 11 encounters, while "Central Córdoba" had claimed 4 wins.

The goal tally in this fixture typically averages 2.27 per match, making this 1-1 result consistent with their offensive trends. However, the timing of the goals – both coming in the final five minutes – is uncharacteristic of their previous meetings, which have generally seen more evenly distributed scoring.

The individual battle between "Newell's" veteran Éver Banega and "Central Córdoba's" midfield enforcer Jose Florentín emerged as a crucial contest. Banega's vision and passing range was frequently countered by Florentín's physicality and tactical discipline in a duel that epitomized the match's competitive nature.

Another fascinating subplot was Alan Aguerre facing his former club. The "Central Córdoba" goalkeeper spent four seasons with "Newell's" between 2018 and 2022, and his intimate knowledge of several opposition attackers proved valuable throughout the match, particularly when denying Maroni earlier in the game.

The tactical approach of both sides showed evolution from previous encounters. "Newell's" demonstrated more patience in build-up play compared to their traditionally direct approach against "Central Córdoba", while the visitors displayed greater comfort in possession than in past visits to the Bielsa, reflecting the progress made under Omar de Felippe's stewardship.