Scoreboard — Monday-Tuesday, March 23-24
| COMPETITION | RESULT | NOTE |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina Apertura | Estudiantes 5-0 C. Cordoba | Gaich hat-trick, 21pts |
| Liga BetPlay F13 | Junior 2-0 Bucaramanga | Nacional leads, 27pts |
| Liga BetPlay F13 | Santa Fe 2-1 Medellin | DIM drops from playoff zone |
| Miami Open (WTA) | Sabalenka d. Zheng 6-3 6-4 | QF: faces Baptiste |
| Miami Open (WTA) | Gauff d. Cirstea (3 sets) | QF: faces Bencic |
| Miami Open (ATP) | Tiafoe d. Mensik | Defending champ out |
01
Gaich Scores Hat-Trick as Estudiantes Demolish Central Cordoba 5-0
Football
Estudiantes de La Plata produced the most emphatic result of the Argentine Apertura so far, destroying Central Cordoba de Santiago del Estero 5-0 at the Estadio UNO in a match where all the goals came in a devastating second-half blitz. The first half ended goalless despite Estudiantes’ territorial dominance, but Alexis Castro broke the deadlock two minutes after the restart with a precise free-kick.
Mikel Amondarain doubled the lead at 70 minutes with his first goal for the club, and then substitute Adolfo Gaich took center stage. The former CSKA Moscow striker, introduced from the bench, scored three goals in just eight minutes — at 80, 85, and 88 — to complete a stunning hat-trick and send the Estadio UNO into raptures. The victory was dedicated to the memory of Marcos Conigliaro, the former Estudiantes World Cup-winning striker who passed away last week at 83.
The result lifts Estudiantes to 21 points, just one behind Zona A leaders Velez Sarsfield. With the Argentine Apertura pausing for the FIFA Date, Cacique Medina’s side enters the break in outstanding form — three consecutive wins and a squad deep enough to produce match-winners from the bench.
02
Liga BetPlay Fecha 13 — Nacional Hold Summit as Santa Fe Stun Medellin
Football
Colombia’s Liga BetPlay continued through the FIFA Date window with Fecha 13 fixtures offering drama across the country. Atletico Nacional extended their lead at the summit to 27 points after their 3-0 win over Internacional de Bogota earlier in the round, while Tuesday’s action saw Junior beat Atletico Bucaramanga 2-0 in Barranquilla to stay in the playoff picture.
The most significant result of the round came at El Campin, where Independiente Santa Fe beat Independiente Medellin 2-1 to deal a blow to DIM’s playoff ambitions. Elsewhere, Millonarios had earlier routed Once Caldas 4-1 away in Manizales in a statement performance, while Boyaca Chico held Deportes Tolima to a 1-1 draw in Tunja. With the Apertura entering its final stretch, Nacional lead comfortably from Pasto and Once Caldas, while the battle for the remaining playoff spots intensifies.
Miami Open Quarter-Finals Take Shape — Sabalenka and Gauff Through
The Miami Open quarter-final field crystallized on Monday as the world’s top women powered through the round of 16. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka dispatched Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-4 in clinical fashion, extending her winning streak to 10 consecutive matches following her Indian Wells title. Sabalenka will face American Hailey Baptiste for a semi-final spot. The Belarusian’s only loss in 2026 came to Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final.
Home favorite Coco Gauff also advanced, grinding past Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in three sets to reach her first-ever Miami Open quarter-final. Gauff will face Belinda Bencic, who upset Amanda Anisimova, in what should be a compelling clash. On the men’s side, Frances Tiafoe knocked out defending champion Jakub Mensik, while earlier in the tournament American Sebastian Korda produced the upset of the draw by stunning world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz — the Spaniard’s earliest loss of the season. Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko also reached the women’s quarter-finals in a breakthrough run.
04
FIFA Date Opens — LATAM Leagues Pause as World Cup 2026 Looms
Preview
The first FIFA Date of 2026 is officially underway, bringing the Brasileirao and most of the Argentine Apertura to a halt until early April. This is the final international window before the World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Mexico, the United States, and Canada — meaning every squad selection and friendly carries heightened significance.
Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti named his squad for friendlies against France and Croatia in the United States, with the notable absence of Neymar. The Santos forward’s exclusion deepens questions about his World Cup place as fitness concerns persist. Argentina, the defending champions, are also in action during the window, with Lionel Scaloni fine-tuning his squad for the tournament defense. In club football, the Liga BetPlay continues through the break with Fecha 13 wrapping this week, while the Argentine Apertura has a handful of remaining Fecha 12 fixtures. The Brasileirao resumes on April 1 with the Copa Libertadores group stage launching on April 7.
05
Argentine Apertura Zona A Standings — Velez Lead, Estudiantes Close Gap
Football
With most of Fecha 12 now complete, the Argentine Apertura picture is sharpening before the FIFA Date break. In Zona A, Velez Sarsfield lead on 22 points despite a surprise defeat to Lanus on the weekend. Estudiantes have closed the gap to just one point at 21 after their 5-0 rout of Central Cordoba. Defensa y Justicia sit third on 19 points following their 2-0 win over Union, while Lanus climbed to 18 after their upset of the leaders.
Boca Juniors are sixth on 17 points after beating Instituto, entering the break on an eight-game unbeaten run and with the Copa Libertadores group stage on the horizon. In Zona B, River Plate are firmly in contention after three straight wins under Coudet, while Independiente Rivadavia maintain a strong position at the top. The top eight from each zona advance to the playoff knockout rounds, with five jornadas remaining after the international break.
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Next edition: Thursday, March 26, 2026 — covering Wednesday, March 25.
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