Belgrano Cordoba blew the Apertura quarter-final wide open with a commanding 2-0 victory over Union Santa Fe at the Estadio Julio César Villagra, moving within touching distance of the semi-finals. The hosts weathered a tightly contested first half before Adrián Sánchez broke the deadlock on 65 minutes, then sealed the tie deep into injury time to inflict Union's first defeat of the knockout stages.
The opening 45 minutes unfolded as a tense, competitive affair in Córdoba, with both sides sizing each other up defensively. Union Santa Fe arrived with their guard up, content to frustrate the hosts and look to spring the occasional counter-attack. Belgrano, despite their territorial dominance, struggled to carve out clear-cut opportunities — a pattern reflected in their modest shot count before the interval. The pitch at the Villagra favoured neither side's ambitions, and the match remained goalless as the teams retreated for the break.
Belgrano's approach shifted decisively after half-time. On 60 minutes, manager R. Hernandes orchestrated a triple substitution, introducing Francisco González Metilli, Nicolás Fernández, and Leonardo Morales to inject fresh impetus into the attacking play. The tactical refresh paid immediate dividends. Inside five minutes of the reshuffle, on 65 minutes, Sánchez was at the right place to meet Emiliano Rigoni's delivery and sweep the ball past the Union goalkeeper — a poacher's finish that broke the deadlock and sent the home faithful into raptures.
Union Santa Fe responded to falling behind with their own substitutions on 69 minutes, bringing on Brahian Cuello and Rafael Profini in a bid to restore equilibrium. Yet Belgrano's momentum proved irresistible. The hosts pressed relentlessly, controlling possession with 111% territory and pinning Union back for sustained periods. By 68 minutes, Marcelo Estigarribia was booked for a cynical foul, the first of four yellow cards Union would accumulate before the final whistle — a telling statistic that underlined Belgrano's dominance and Union's desperation.
The closing stages descended into a scrappy affair, Union chasing the game but lacking the quality to trouble Belgrano's defence. Further substitutions followed on 76 and 86 minutes as both managers sought to manage the contest, with Lucas Zelarayán injected by Belgrano and Mauro Pittón and Marcelo Estigarribia replaced by Union. Franco Fragapane added a 86th-minute caution to Union's tally, the fourth yellow of the evening — a damning indictment of their inability to maintain composure. Right at the death, on 90+6, R. Hernandes latched on to Franco Vázquez's pass to seal the verdict and confirm Belgrano's passage with a second goal that capped a dominant second-half display.
Adrián Sánchez was the standout performer, registering a rating of 7.9 and converting his sole shot on goal to give Belgrano the decisive breakthrough. The forward's movement in the box proved the difference-maker. Behind him, Lisandro López anchored Belgrano's defensive resolve with a 7.7 rating across the full 95 minutes, whilst Matías Mansilla kept Union competitive with an identical rating despite limited attacking opportunities.
Belgrano's progression to the semi-finals is now assured. The eight-shot advantage and four-corner count underlined their control, though Union's disciplinary record — four cautions to Belgrano's none — spoke volumes about their frustration. The visitors managed only four shots on goal, a clear measure of how thoroughly Belgrano dominated the technical battle on the night.
Belgrano Cordoba now await their semi-final opponent, whilst Union Santa Fe must regroup and refocus on their league campaign. The quarter-final has been decided — decisively, in Belgrano's favour.