Metropolitano Semifinals: Santa Bárbara and Lomas Lead the Women Today, San Fernando and Banco Provincia Wait for Sunday
Three weekends. Six teams left in each draw. One trophy at the end of it. The Torneo Metropolitano playoffs hit the semi-finals this weekend at Parque Olímpico in Buenos Aires, and the women’s ties come first.
Today, Saturday, it’s the women. Lomas, who went straight through to the semis by finishing second in the regular season, meet GEBA at 13:30 local time (9:30pm PKT). Then at 16:00 (midnight PKT), Santa Bárbara, the regular-season winners, take on Italiano. Both games are at Parque Olímpico, and both are on ESPN through Disney+ Premium.
The shock of the quarter-finals is still the story of the women’s draw. San Fernando, the defending champions, are out. Italiano knocked them out last Saturday, and that means there will be a new women’s champion this year. Santa Bárbara finished top of the regular season and have been the team to beat all year, but Italiano have just beaten the champions. Nobody in this draw is afraid of anyone anymore.
GEBA earned their place the hard way too, beating Belgrano in the quarters to set up the meeting with Lomas. Lomas won 13, drew eight and lost five in the regular season, and conceded fewer goals than anyone bar the leaders. They’ve got Chiara Agostini leading their scoring, and on the bench, Lucas Vila. Yes, that Lucas Vila. The Olympic champion is coaching the Lomas women through this playoff run, and it’s his last weekend in hockey before he hangs up his stick. More on that below.
Sunday: the men, and Vila’s last game
Sunday belongs to the men, and it’s a proper double-header. Banco Provincia meet Mitre at 13:30 local (9:30pm PKT), and then at 16:00 (midnight PKT) the defending champions San Fernando face GEBA.
San Fernando finished top of the regular season, seven points clear of Banco Provincia, and lost just once all year, to Hurling. They won both the men’s and women’s titles in 2025, and the men are chasing a repeat. But GEBA are dangerous. They beat Ciudad 2-1 in a clásico in last Sunday’s quarter-final, and they won’t be overawed by the occasion.
Banco Provincia’s path is just as interesting. They lost one game all season, against Quilmes, and they’ve got the Olympic champion in their ranks. Lucas Vila announced his retirement before these playoffs, and Sunday against Mitre is his last game as a player. He coaches Lomas’ women today and plays for Banco tomorrow. That’s some farewell weekend.
Mitre got here the hard way. They drew 2-2 with Ducilo last Sunday and went through on sporting advantage, the tie-break that rewards the higher-placed side. They lost only three of 26 regular-season games and finished on 55 points, with Facundo Falchetto leading their scoring. Ducilo’s Ramiro Infanzón finished the regular season as the league’s top scorer with 18 goals, but his side are out, and Mitre march on.
The finals are next Saturday, 21 November, back at Parque Olímpico. Four teams will be left standing after this weekend. Two of them will be playing for the title. And for Vila, whatever happens, Sunday night is the end of one of Argentine hockey’s great careers.
