Belgrano walk into the second tournament of 2026 with a trophy in the cabinet. They pulled off the impossible in May — beating River Plate 3-2 in the final at the Mario Alberto Kempes. Now they open against Rosario Central, a side that's been all over the place lately. One week they look like title contenders, next week they can't string two passes together.
This is Round 1 of the second tournament. 16 rounds, single round-robin, 30 teams. No room for slow starts. Belgrano have the momentum and the crowd at El Gigante de Alberdi (officially Estadio Julio César Villagra). Rosario Central need to prove they're not just making up numbers.
The last time these two met was in 2023 — a forgettable 0-0 draw. Three years later, both teams are completely different beasts.
First-tournament campaign was a rollercoaster. They scraped through the regular season, then caught fire in the playoffs. Quarterfinal: beat Unión 2-0. Semifinal: knocked out Argentinos Juniors on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Final: stunned River Plate 3-2. That's the kind of run that builds belief.
Key takeaway: Belgrano know how to win tight games. Three knockout matches, three wins, never looked out of their depth.
Finished mid-table in the first tournament. Knocked out in the quarterfinals by Racing Club (2-1 AET). Decent going forward, leaky at the back. They conceded in 12 of their 16 regular-season games. That's a problem against a Belgrano side that just put three past River Plate.
| Date | Venue | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 28, 2023 | Estadio Julio César Villagra | Belgrano 0-0 Rosario Central | Primera División R27 |
Only one recorded meeting — and it was a stalemate. Zero goals, zero winners. Both teams will be looking to actually show up this time. The 0-0 from 2023 tells us nothing useful except that neither side could break the other down three years ago. Different managers, different squads, different stakes.
Belgrano: Their forward line that torched River Plate in the final returns intact. The attacking midfielder who scored the decisive goal in the championship match will be the focal point. Watch for early pressure — Belgrano came out swinging in every knockout game.
Rosario Central: Their left winger is the danger man — pace, direct running, not afraid to shoot from distance. If Central are going to get anything from this game, it starts with him isolating Belgrano's right-back one-on-one.
Belgrano approach: Compact 4-4-2 that morphs into a 4-2-4 in attack. They're not possession-obsessed — they want the ball in dangerous areas fast. Set pieces are a weapon. Three of their five goals in the playoffs came from dead-ball situations or second-phase plays off corners.
Rosario Central approach: More patient, build-from-the-back philosophy. Problem is, when the press comes, they panic. Belgrano's high press in the final against River Plate was relentless. If Central try to play out from the back here, they're asking for trouble.
Central's best bet: sit deep, absorb, hit on the counter. But that's not how they're wired.
GK: Losada · DEF: Barinaga, Rébola, Meriano, Delgado · MID: Metilli, Longo, Rojas, Marín · FWD: Passerini, Jara
GK: Broun · DEF: Martínez, Mallo, Quintana, Rodríguez · MID: Ortiz, Mac Allister; Lovera, Malcorra, Campaz · FWD: Ruben
Belgrano carry championship momentum. Central's defense hasn't been fixed. Home crowd, Round 1 energy — Belgrano get it done comfortably.
The match kicks off at 7:30 PM ART (10:30 PM UTC) on July 23, 2026, at Estadio Julio César Villagra in Córdoba.
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© 2026 KickOff 2026. Match data sourced from TheSportsDB. Predictions are editorial opinion.