Defensa y Justicia took control early with two first‑half goals and held on to beat Deportivo Riestra 2‑1 in the Superliga. Juan Manuel Gutiérrez opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, and David Barbona doubled the lead just before half‑time. Riestra pulled one back through Tomás Gonzalez in the 72nd minute but could not find an equaliser.
The home side struck first when Gutiérrez finished neatly to make it 1‑0 in the 23rd minute. Barbona’s goal twelve minutes later, after a period of sustained pressure, gave Defensa a comfortable cushion at the break. Riestra responded gamely after the interval, and Gonzalez’s header from Nicolás Sansotre’s assist halved the deficit, but they could not force a second.
Despite enjoying only 39% possession and taking fewer total shots (12 to Riestra’s 17), Defensa were more clinical: they recorded seven shots on target to Riestra’s five and created 1.80 expected goals against 1.14. Ignacio Gariglio and five other players were booked in a scrappy contest, but Defensa’s efficiency in front of goal proved decisive.
