Tuesday, June 24

Sports Mole previews Thursday's Copa Argentina clash between Tigre and Banfield, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Tigre and Banfield will go head-to-head this midweek at the Nuevo Francisco Urbano Stadium for a place in the Copa Argentina round of 16.

This will be the first time both sides face each other in the competition, with their previous meetings limited to the top flight and Primera Nacional.

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Match preview

Tigre booked their spot in this round of the tournament with a convincing 3-0 victory over Primera C outfit Berazategui on March 23, reaching this stage for the first time in three seasons.

That success came during a purple patch for the Northern Blues, marking their eighth triumph in a run of nine wins across 12 matches since the start of the year, though their recent results have painted a less flattering picture.

Following their Copa Argentina success, Diego Dabove’s side edged Defensa y Justicia but have since gone six matches without tasting victory (D3, L3), a spell that includes a 2-1 defeat to San Lorenzo in the league playoffs when they last took to the field.

With a six-week layoff now behind them, El Matador have had time to regroup and will be eager to put that early exit behind them by pushing further in the cup, and they can take encouragement from their recent dominance over Banfield.

Having lost three of their previous four meetings between the sides, Tigre have now come out on top in the last two — both 1-0 victories — and would certainly welcome a repeat given their current struggles in front of goal and their poor shootout record.

The Northern Blues have found the net just twice in their last six matches combined, while they have crashed out on penalties in each of their last three Copa Argentina appearances. 

Banfield, on the other hand, will hope to find solace in this competition after a dismal Torneo Apertura campaign that saw them finish second from bottom in their zone, missing out on the playoffs altogether.

Despite opening the season with back-to-back wins, El Taladro could only gather three victories across 16 league matches, a statistic that highlights their prolonged barren spells. 

The Drill's final league outing was a 3-1 success over Central Cordoba, snapping a four-match winless streak in all competitions and taking their overall points tally to 14.

Banfield’s most recent victory prior to that came in the Copa Argentina, where they squeezed past third division side Villa Mitre to secure their place in this round for a sixth straight season, and Pedro Troglio’s men will hope the recent break serves as a chance to reset rather than a disruption to their rhythm. 

Tigre Copa Argentina form:

Tigre form (all competitions):

Banfield Copa Argentina form:

Banfield form (all competitions):

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Team News

Tigre have strengthened their squad with three fresh additions, although the new faces are expected to link up with the team in the coming weeks.

Braian Martinez arrived from Independiente, Federico Alvarez signed from Greek side Asteras Tripolis and Tomas Sultani joined from Maccabi Haifa. 

The club were hit by a string of injuries between late April and early May, with forwards Alfio Oviedo and Ijiel Protti, along with full-backs Nahuel Banegas and Martin Ortega, all ruled out — and in the absence of an update on their recovery, they are unlikely to feature.

Meanwhile, Banfield are preparing for life without twenty-year-old winger Juan Bisanz, who is set to complete a move to Huracan in the coming weeks, while there are also expected exits for Ezequiel Bonifacio, Juan Pablo Alvarez and Damian Diaz.

However, the club has brought in Rodrigo Auzmendi from Honduran club Motagua to bolster their attacking options.

Centre-forwards Bruno Sepulveda and Tomas Nasif remain doubtful, with both still recovering from foot and ankle injuries sustained prior to the break.

Tigre possible starting lineup:

Zenobio; Garay, Barriouevo, Paz, Sosa; Zalazar, Scipioni, Lopez, Armoa; Russo, Romero

Banfield possible starting lineup:

Sanguinetti; Di Luciano, Pombo, Riveros, De Ritis; Rivera, Rio, L. Rios, G. Rios, Obando; Arturia

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We say: Tigre 1-0 Banfield

 

Neither side hit the ground running before the pause, but Tigre’s superior run in 2025 and their recent edge in this fixture may just tilt the scales in their favour, even though another tight, low-scoring affair should not be ruled out.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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