Buenos Aires, Jan 17 (NA) — Unión drew 1-1 with Defensor Sporting at the Luis Franzini stadium and concluded its participation in the Rio de la Plata Series 2026, in the second friendly match of its tour of Uruguay. Emilio Giaccone scored for 'Tatengue', while Lautaro Navarro equalized for the home team, according to the Argentine News Agency. The team led by Leonardo Madelón started intensely and stayed true to its idea: high pressure, seeking to unsettle the opponent's build-up and territorial dominance. At 19 minutes, the clearest chance of the first half arrived with a run down the right and a low cross that no one could push in, in an even match but with Unión slightly better. The match remained goalless until halftime, although both teams started to approach more frequently in the final stretch of the first half. Defensor Sporting threatened with a set-piece, while in Unión, the youth player Aguirre saw a yellow card at 38 minutes for a foul. In the second half, 'Tatengue' came out determined to break the deadlock and had a very clear chance in the early minutes with a cross-shot from Aguirre that went very close. With Palavecini taking more contact with the ball and some flashes of quality, Unión maintained control and Madelón began to make substitutions to refresh the team. At 16 minutes into the second half, the reward came: Giaccone unleashed a tremendous shot for 1-0, but as the minutes went by, Unión lost intensity and Defensor Sporting took advantage. At 25 minutes, Navarro pushed in the equalizer and sealed the definitive 1-1, closing a tour that left a 2-1 victory over Alianza Lima and this draw in Montevideo before returning to Argentina to continue the preseason.
