Defensa Y Justicia Edge Newells Old Boys 2-1 Despite Late Fightback

Defensa Y Justicia Hold Off Newells Old Boys 2-1

Defensa Y Justicia secured a 2-1 victory over Newells Old Boys at Estadio Norberto Tomaghello on Sunday, August 9, 2026, moving ahead after a controlled first half and a decisive second goal. F. Roman and T. Perez scored for the hosts, while B. Cabrera’s late effort gave Newells hope without changing the result.

Defensa Y Justicia Take Early Control

Defensa Y Justicia established the stronger rhythm during the opening stages, using their home advantage to put Newells Old Boys under pressure. The visitors struggled to maintain control, and their afternoon became more difficult when J. Russo was booked in the 31st minute.

The early pressure eventually produced the opening goal, with Defensa Y Justicia taking a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute. Newells were unable to respond before the interval, leaving the hosts in front at half-time and in a favorable position after a disciplined opening period.

Roman and Perez Put Hosts Ahead

F. Roman opened the scoring after receiving assistance from C. Perez, finishing a move that rewarded Defensa Y Justicia’s greater initiative. The goal gave the hosts a platform to manage the match, while Newells needed to find a more effective attacking response.

Defensa Y Justicia doubled their advantage in the 68th minute through T. Perez, who converted after V. Loza supplied the assist. The second goal reflected the hosts’ ability to turn their control into a meaningful advantage and placed Newells in a difficult position with the final stages approaching.

Russo Red Card Changes the Match

The major turning point came just before half-time when J. Russo received a second yellow card in the 40th minute, followed immediately by his dismissal. Newells therefore played the remainder of the match with ten men, limiting their ability to build sustained pressure and making their task of recovering from the deficit considerably harder.

Defensa Y Justicia also collected bookings for A. Portillo in the 45th minute and C. Perez in the 46th, while F. Roman was cautioned late on. Despite those disciplinary moments, the hosts maintained their advantage, with Roman and Perez standing out for their direct contributions to the winning performance.

Newells Late Goal and League Impact

Newells Old Boys did manage to reduce the deficit in the 83rd minute, when B. Cabrera scored from M. Ortega’s assist. The goal briefly increased the pressure on Defensa Y Justicia, but the visitors could not find a second equalizer before full-time.

The victory left Defensa Y Justicia with four points from their opening three Clausura matches before this round’s updated table is applied, while Newells Old Boys had also held four points from three games. Both teams entered the match with one win, one draw and one loss in the Clausura, but Defensa’s success provided a valuable response to an inconsistent recent run, while Newells’ uneven form continued.