Racing looks to snap eight-game winless run against a Sarmiento side riding high

Eight games without a win in the league is a lot of games. That's the hole Racing finds itself in, searching for a way out right as it hosts a rival that's rolling on all cylinders. The match is set for Estadio Presidente Peron, this Friday, September 18, in matchday 10 of Zone B of the 2026 Clausura.

The broadcast will air on TNT Sports for audiences in Argentina and Uruguay, while the rest of Latin America can catch it on Disney+. Kickoff times vary by country: 9:15 p.m. in Argentina and Uruguay, 8:15 p.m. in Chile and 7:15 p.m. in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador.

The backdrop sets up a clash of crossed needs. Sarmiento arrives with plenty of confidence, well aware that a good result in Avellaneda would keep alive its dream of qualifying for the next Copa Sudamericana. Racing, meanwhile, needs to stop a bleeding that's starting to weigh on the fans' mood.

A losing streak that's starting to hurt

La Academia is dragging around eight matches without a win in the tournament: two draws and six losses, with three straight defeats in the most recent stretch. The latest came against Huracan, by a score of 2-1, a result that left Juan Pablo Vojvoda and his squad under pressure to respond ahead of a tough test looming on the horizon: the Copa Argentina quarterfinals against Boca.

To try to snap the skid, the coach is turning to names like Adrian Martinez, Leonel Perez, Alejandro Tello and Lautaro Diaz, tasked with giving the team a different look up front.

On the other side, the picture looks quite different. Sarmiento comes off a 1-1 draw with Belgrano and has lost just once in its last seven matches, a run that has established it as one of the league's form teams. Facundo Sava, in charge of the Verde, knows a win in Avellaneda would be a statement result, putting his side firmly in the hunt for a spot in international competition.

Among the players to watch from the Junin side are Junior Marabel, Julian Mavilla, Cristian Zabala and Ulises Gimenez, all key figures in the team's strong run.

The most recent meeting

The last time these two met, on March 10, 2026, the result was 0-0 in Junin. A scoreless draw that offers little insight into what might happen this time, with Racing desperate for points and Sarmiento's confidence fully intact.

Friday at the Presidente Peron brings together two opposite realities: one looking to stop the freefall, the other looking to keep climbing. Whoever wins knows exactly what's at stake.