Gimnasia La Plata 2–2 Banfield | Liga Profesional de Fútbol | 19 September 2026

Result Summary

A dramatic late equaliser denied Gimnasia La Plata all three points at home, as Banfield's substitute David Zalazar struck in the 90th minute to level the contest at 2–2. It was a result that, on balance of play, felt harsh on the hosts, who dominated large portions of the match but could not hold on for a victory that would have been well deserved based on the statistics.

Match Analysis

Gimnasia, managed by Guillermo Ariel Pereyra, came out of the blocks strongly and were rewarded on the 20th minute when Agustín Auzmendi nodded home a header, assisted by Nicolás Barros Schelotto, to open the scoring at El Bosque. The hosts controlled proceedings comfortably, reflected in their final tallies of 55% possession, 23 total shots to Banfield's 11, and a remarkable 15 key passes compared to just four from the visitors.

Banfield, coached by Pedro Antonio Troglio, worked their way back into the game before half-time. Lautaro Martín Gómez converted with his left foot in the 38th minute, capitalising on an assist from Adrián Balboa to restore parity heading into the break. Troglio responded boldly at the interval, introducing Matías Hernández, Santiago López Garcia, and Renzo Malanca simultaneously — a triple substitution that signalled a clear tactical intent to wrestle more influence in the second half.

However, it was Gimnasia who regained the lead shortly after the hour mark. Pedro Silva Torrejón struck with his left foot on 62 minutes, assisted by the lively Auzmendi, making it 2–1 to the hosts. Pereyra then made a flurry of changes, replacing Auzmendi, both Barros Schelotto brothers, Lucas Janson, and Maximiliano Zalazar in a bid to protect the advantage and add fresh legs.

The introduction of David Zalazar for Banfield on 69 minutes proved decisive. With the clock reading 90 minutes, he converted a right-footed strike assisted by Renzo Malanca — one of the earlier substitutes — to snatch a share of the spoils. It was a gut-punch for Gimnasia, whose 41 dangerous attacks to Banfield's 39 and 7 shots on target to five told the story of a side that created more and ultimately had more to lose.

Banfield's discipline was questionable at times; Lautaro Martín Gómez and Fabio Enrique Álvarez both collected yellow cards for fouls in the second half, and the visitors committed 16 fouls in total compared to Gimnasia's nine.

Prediction Review

Our pre-match forecast favoured a Gimnasia La Plata win at 51% probability, with the draw assessed at 26%. The prediction proved incorrect, as the match ended level. In retrospect, the statistical dominance of Gimnasia — superior in possession, total shots, corners, and key passes — was consistent with the home-win forecast. However, Banfield's clinical use of substitute impact, particularly Zalazar's injury-time goal, underlined the unpredictability of football. A confidence rating of 64/100 reflected modest certainty, and the late equaliser demonstrates why even well-supported predictions can fall short against resolute, opportunistic opponents.

Key Takeaways

• Auzmendi was central to Gimnasia's attacking play, both scoring and assisting before being substituted — his withdrawal at 72' may have reduced the home side's cutting edge late on.
• Banfield's triple substitution at half-time ultimately paid dividends, with Malanca and Zalazar combining for the crucial equaliser.
• Gimnasia's inability to manage the game in the closing stages, despite statistical dominance throughout, remains a concern for Pereyra's side.
• A point each leaves both clubs with mixed emotions from what was an entertaining and competitive fixture.