El Nacional of Ecuador up next.
Our first game in the Copa Sudamericana. Another first for my managerial career. At home. In our stadium.
Under the lights.
And trust me, night games are different. They carry a weight, a promise, a pulse you can feel in your ribs.

I didn’t want to change too much after the win against Banfield. Continuity is important. Momentum even more so.
Only one adjustment: Cabral back in for Miljevic on the left.
That’s it. The rest earned their place.

---

Kickoff — A Different Energy

We arrive at the stadium and immediately, the atmosphere is continental.
You can smell it, hear it, taste it.
Sudamericana nights don’t forgive. They don’t forget either.

Paz leads the team out as captain.
We kick off, and instantly, we’re on the front foot.

A flurry of shots.
Pressure.
Aggression.
Identity.

By the 22nd minute, it all clicks:
Paz switches play to De la Fuente.
He finds Bisanz, who lays it off to Pérez.

Pérez curls it into the top corner like he’s painting with his boot.
1–0.
Textbook.

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A Punch Out of Nothing

Total dominance.
El Nacional haven’t had a shot. Not one.

Then Ibáñez gives away a silly free-kick. No danger, but danger arrives anyway.
The cross comes in, Paz heads it clear — but only as far as the edge of the box.

Their midfielder volleys it first time.
Top corner.
Meza could’ve had wings and he still wouldn’t get there.

1–1.

I breathe.
This team… we play beautifully, but we gift chaos to our opponents like it’s charity.

---

Half-Time and a Message

Pérez is playing well.
The rest? They have gears left.

I tell them:
Improve. Focus. Raise your level.
Nothing more. Nothing less.

---

Second Half — The Response

55 minutes.
Paz starts the move, again. He’s becoming our metronome.
Into Gil.
Into Ibáñez.
A threaded pass to Cabral, who finishes calmly.

2–1.
Relief. But not enough.

Around the hour mark, tired legs start to show.
We speak, Jorge and I.
I want the third goal, but I also want to protect Chiquichano. He’s young, he’s played a lot and this stage can swallow a teenager whole.

So we turn to experience:
Wanchope.
A different kind of weapon.

65 minutes:
De la Fuente is done. Guidara comes on.

---

72nd Minute — The Goal of the Night

Some beautiful football, pure Huracán, exactly as I imagine it.
The ball works its way wide to Guidara.
Fresh legs, confident stride.
He beats his man.
Delivers a perfect cross.

Cabral rises, nods it back across goal.
3–1.

We explode.
This is the football I promised.

I make my final three changes:

• Pérez drops into defensive midfield.
• Waller, Ríos, Alanis enter.
  Fresh legs, fresh minds.

18 minutes to go.

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Final Whistle — A Statement Win

We controlled everything.
We limited them to one shot all game and yes, it was a goal, because of course this team still wants to age me prematurely.

But we dominated.
We showed who we want to be.
And we started our Sudamericana journey with a win.

News filters through: Vasco da Gama beat Palestino.
We top the group — on goal difference, but we top it.

Two wins in a row.
Changing personnel has brought energy, belief, rhythm.
But the lapses at the back?
Still there.
Always lurking.

Now we prepare for Aldosivi away.
They currently top the league.
Another test.
Another challenge.

And as always…
Another opportunity to prove that this identity of ours will carry us forward, even if it kills me in the process.