San Martín de Formosa secured a historic promotion to Argentina’s Primera Nacional after a 2–0 victory over Cipolletti in the final played on Sunday in San Francisco, Córdoba. The match, which decided the promotion spot for the 2024–25 season, was won by goals from Ricardo Tapia and Dylan Leiva. The first goal came in the 43rd minute of the first half when Tapia headed a free‑kick delivered by Gervasio Núñez. The header gave San Martín a 1–0 lead at halftime. In the second half, Lautaro Ceratto recovered a loose ball and set up the play that ended with Leiva finishing the move to make it 2–0, a score that held until the final whistle. The club, coached by Marcelo Rubino, will join Chaco For Ever in the Primera Nacional for the upcoming season, marking the first time a team from Formosa Province competes at that level. The promotion also means that the province will share the division with another local side in 2027. Fans from Formosa travelled to Córdoba in large numbers. Among the banners carried were those of Governor Gildo Insfrán, the Argentine flag, and the emblem of the Justicialist Party, which was positioned behind the goal where the first goal was scored. Cipolletti, who lost the final, will enter the promotion playoffs. They will face the winner of the match between Alvarado and Sportivo Las Parejas; a victory would advance them to a semifinal and potentially a final for the second promotion spot. San Martín de Formosa, officially Club Sportivo General San Martín, was founded on 8 April 1941. The club has participated in various regional competitions and has played in the national second tier on several occasions, most recently in the Federal A division since 2018. Their promotion follows a long history of regional football, with the province’s most successful club, Sportivo Patria, having competed in the 1976 Torneo Nacional and holding 17 provincial titles compared to San Martín’s 13.
Article source: Clarin Digital | Image credit: Clarin Digital