Long-Shots Huracan and Platense set for Argentine title decider
While many football fans drooled over the prospect of an Apertura final between giants Boca Juniors and River Plate, the title will instead be contested by Huracan and Platense, two hungry sides chasing history in a rare decider.
After decades spent in the shadow of the country's heavyweights, Huracan are chasing their first league title in over 50 years, with Sunday's final set for the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero.
The team, nicknamed "The Balloon" last lifted the trophy in 1973 under coach Cesar Luis Menotti - who went on to lift the World Cup with Argentina five years later - and now find themselves on the brink of glory once more.
Standing in their way are surprise package Platense, who spent more than two decades bouncing between the third and second divisions before promotion to the top flight in 2021. They are now one match away from their first major trophy.
Led by coaching duo Sergio Gomez and Favio Orsi, Platense have earned a reputation as giant-killers after sneaking into the knockouts with a sixth-place finish in Group B.
They ended Racing Club's six-game unbeaten run in the round of 16, shocked River Plate in a penalty shootout at the Monumental Stadium and edged past San Lorenzo 1-0 in the semi-finals.
"Everything that happened to us in the past, we use today to try to be resilient," coach Gomez told reporters ahead of the final.
"This is who we are, what we convey and what we leave in each other's hearts: a team that gives its all and fights tooth and nail."
HURACAN'S RISE
Meanwhile, Huracan, who finished fourth in Group A, made the most of their home advantage in the last 16 to beat Deportivo Riestra 3–2.
Then they knocked out two title contenders on the road: Group B leaders Rosario Central 1–0 in the quarter-finals and Independiente on penalties in the semis.
Manager Frank Dario Kudelka is now hoping his side can build on the solid form shown in recent months, having come close to lifting the trophy last season with a fourth-place finish.
"We are a very good team that can beat anyone, and we have been sustaining this for a long time," Kudelka said after Huracan moved into the Copa Sudamericana knockout stages with a 1-0 win over Brazil's Corinthians on Tuesday.
"I've managed in every category of Argentine football and the only thing missing is winning the First Division. This Sunday I have an important opportunity."
Beyond the league title, a coveted spot in next year's Copa Libertadores is also on the line, a chance for two unlikely finalists to step onto South America's biggest club stage. REUTERS
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