Primera LPF. Team of the week: Maximiliano Salas’ impact and Franco Mastantuono’s wonder strike
Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert
The matches of Round 15 in the Argentine Championship, Apertura, were played between April 26 and 29.
The main event of the round was the Superclásico between River Plate and Boca Juniors. The hosts clinched a 2-1 victory, and as a result, two Los Millonarios players make our team of the week.
Presenting the symbolic team of Matchday 15 of the Apertura.
Goalkeeper: Felipe Zenobio (Tigre)
The 24-year-old guardian of the “Matadores” goal made two saves from inside the box against Estudiantes, and also claimed the ball successfully once. Zenobio completed 10 accurate passes, won one aerial duel, and made a clearance. This was his second consecutive clean sheet and seventh of the current season.
Left-back: Ignacio Gariglio (Aldosivi)
In the match against Banfield, the 26-year-old Argentine tallied 10 clearances and 3 tackles, as well as 3 interceptions, and blocked one opponent’s shot. Ignacio won 5 of his 7 duels for the ball.
Gariglio delivered 2 key and one long pass, all finding their targets. He also put in two successful crosses. After one of his set-piece deliveries in the 39th minute, Gonzalo Mottez opened the scoring. This is Ignacio’s first direct goal involvement in the current campaign.
Center-back: Valentín Gómez (Vélez Sarsfield)
Facing Gimnasia y Esgrima, the 21-year-old Argentine registered 13 clearances and 2 tackles, blocking three shots. He completed five accurate long passes, won all six ground and aerial duels, and drew a foul from an opponent.
Center-back: Kevin Lomónaco (Independiente)
Against Deportivo Riestra, the 23-year-old Argentine recorded 6 clearances, 5 tackles, one interception, and one block. Kevin won 12 of 13 ground duels and all 5 aerial duels, completed 3 successful dribbles, and delivered 10 accurate and one long pass.
Right-back: Nicolás Sansorte (Deportivo Riestra)
In the match against Independiente, Nicolás made 7 clearances, 2 tackles, and one interception. He won 6 of 9 duels both on the ground and in the air, completed a successful dribble, and delivered an accurate long ball.
Left midfielder: Éver Banega (Newell’s Old Boys)
Against Huracán, the 36-year-old Argentine completed 8 accurate long passes, 2 key passes, and a cross. Éver succeeded in all three of his dribble attempts, won 6 out of 8 ground duels and one of two aerial duels. Banega also made 2 tackles and an interception.
Right midfielder: Gastón Lodico (Instituto)
Gastón marked his 100th appearance for the red-and-whites with a goal. In the 67th minute, he scored with a header to salvage a draw for Instituto. This was Lodico’s fourth goal of the campaign.
Against Sarmiento, Gastón completed 58 (91%) accurate passes, including 3 key and 6 long balls, and 3 crosses. He created 2 scoring chances for teammates. Lodico won 4 of 7 ground duels, drew 2 fouls, made 2 tackles, and a clearance.
Attacking midfielder: Nicolás Quagliata (Central Córdoba)
In his 68 minutes on the pitch against Independiente Rivadavia, the 25-year-old Uruguayan created two scoring chances. Nicolás delivered 4 key and 3 accurate long passes, and made 2 crosses. He won 8 of 11 ground and aerial duels, made 6 tackles, completed a successful dribble, and registered an interception.
Left-winger: Sebastián Villa (Independiente Rivadavia)
The 28-year-old Colombian registered a goal contribution for the fifth game running. This time, he set up Fabrizio Sartori to level the score against Central Córdoba.
Sebastián also made 2 key passes and delivered an accurate cross, creating 2 scoring chances. Villa completed 2 successful dribbles and won both aerial duels.
Right-winger: Franco Mastantuono (River Plate)
The 17-year-old Argentine wonderkid found the net for the second consecutive match, this time with a spectacular long-range free-kick against his side’s arch-rivals. Mastantuono nearly bagged a brace, but in the second half, after going one-on-one with the keeper, he lobbed the ball over both the goalkeeper and the crossbar.
Against Boca, Mastantuono completed 4 successful dribbles, made a key pass, won an aerial duel, drew 2 fouls, and registered both an interception and a tackle.
Forward: Maximiliano Salas (Racing)
Thanks to the 27-year-old Argentine, the “Academia” snatched a win from Defensa y Justicia. Maximiliano equalized in the 72nd minute and, 16 minutes later, set up Gastón Martínez for the match-winner.
Salas also won 9 of 11 ground duels, completed 5 successful dribbles—including two inside the opponent’s box when he scored his goal.
Head coach: Marcelo Gallardo (River Plate)
Under his guidance, River Plate secured an emotionally charged Superclásico victory over Boca—their second straight with Gallardo at the helm. His team ended their arch-rival’s three-match winning streak, handed Boca their third defeat in the Apertura, and triggered the departure of Fernando Gago as the “blue-and-golds” coach.
Tactical superiority, dominance from the first whistle, and smart use of the flanks allowed River Plate to control proceedings and extend their unbeaten run to six matches. Gallardo once again proved his ability to prepare his team not only physically, but also mentally—especially for the most high-pressure showdowns.
