Racing Club will be targeting back-to-back wins in Argentina's Primera Division when they travel to face Sarmiento at Estadio Eva Peron on Wednesday evening.
Meanwhile, the home side will be hoping to get back to winning ways after their two-match winning run came to an end.
Match preview
After failing to win any of their opening three fixtures, Sarmiento appeared to have found some form, winning consecutive league games for only the second time in 2024 just before the month-long break.
However, as the league resumed this month, Israel Damonte's men could not pick up where they left off, losing 4-2 to Rosario Central, squandering the opportunity to equal their longest winning run in the Argentine top flight since the opening stages of the 2022 campaign (three).
The four goals conceded in the defeat to Rosario Central are the most Verdolaga have conceded since their 4-1 loss to Belgrano in February, and this loss has also seen their lead over the team in the relegation zone (Tigre) cut from nine points to six in the aggregate table.
Sarmiento will be aiming to return to winning ways quickly, but a worrying sign is their poor record against Wednesday's opponents, having only won once in eight meetings with Racing Club, losing five times.
However, their sole victory came in the most recent encounter between the two sides in March, but the Junin-based club have also never won a home game in this fixture, while they have picked up more points on the road than at home soil in the ongoing campaign.
Meanwhile, Racing Club made a near-perfect start to the second phase of the league, but a 2-0 defeat to Lanus just before the break put a spanner in the works.
However, Gustavo Costas's side ensured it was just a setback, bouncing back in their first match after the break with a comfortable 3-0 win over struggling Godoy Cruz.
La Academia climbed to third place with 13 points from six games, one point behind the top two teams but level on points with Instituto ACC and Talleres, only ahead due to a superior goal difference.
Racing boast the best attack in the league so far with 15 goals scored in six matches, averaging 2.5 goals per game, while they also share the record for the most clean sheets (four).
However, their away form has been inconsistent compared to their home form, as the visitors have won, drawn and lost one each in three games on the road, while winning all three matches on home soil.
Team News
Sarmiento have just one injury issue ahead of this clash, as central midfielder Federico Paradela remains sidelined with a cruciate ligament tear.
Manuel Garcia has scored twice for the hosts this season, the most by anyone in the team, and the midfielder will look to make the difference once again.
Racing are without the injured Fernando Prado (ACL), German Conti and Bruno Zuculini (both muscle), who are not expected back in action until next month.
Marco Di Cesare has joined Argentina's Olympics team, which will see him miss a considerable number of games depending how far the team goes in the competition.
Sarmiento possible starting lineup:
Acosta; Roncaglia, Parades, Insaurralde, Arismendi; Mendez, Garcia; Rosales, Burgoa, Gudino; Morales
Racing Club possible starting lineup:
Arias; Colombo, Sosa, Quiros; Zuculini; Martirena, Nardoni, Almendra, Rojas; Salas, Martinez, Carbonero
We say: Sarmiento 0-2 Racing Club
Racing have shown real character by bouncing back quickly from defeat, something they have done for much of the season.
While the visitors have not been as strong on the road, their overall quality is superior to the home side's, and this advantage is likely to be decisive against a team that has struggled to pick up points at home.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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