Gastón Ávila scored twice for Rosario Central against Sarmiento on Saturday, including a 95th-minute winner in a 1-2 victory. The defender, on loan from Ajax, now has seven goals in 27 matches.
Five minutes in, Manuel García put Sarmiento ahead. Ávila levelled for Rosario Central in the 29th minute after good work from Enzo Copetti, and the sides went in at half-time at 1-1.
Ángel Di María went off injured in the 59th minute. Eight minutes later, Renzo Orihuela saw red for a foul on Copetti, leaving Sarmiento with ten men.
Late on, Santiago Salle caught Ávila with a heavy challenge. The referee initially showed him a yellow card, then changed it to red after VAR intervention. Rosario Central pushed for a winner against nine men.
Ávila struck in the fifth minute of added time. After a pass from Ignacio Ovando, the left-footer controlled the ball neatly and fired in the winner to make it 1-2.
In the summer of 2023, Ajax paid Royal Antwerp €12.5 million for Ávila, with bonuses potentially taking the fee to €14.5 million. The defender failed to convince in Amsterdam, however, playing just eight official matches.
The 25-year-old defender has rediscovered his form in Argentina and recently become a regular. Rosario Central have an option to buy, while his Ajax contract runs until mid-2028.
Under coach Jorge Almirón, Rosario Central have won four of their last five matches and drawn one. They currently top Group B of the Torneo Clausura with 31 points and are moving ever closer to a place in the knockout stage.