Hasta El Gol Siempre

River Plate have to pick themselves up from a terrible weak as they host Gimnasia La Plata needing a win to stay top of the table - yes, in spite of all the bad on-pitch news, they are still joint top. Estudiantes, who River are sharing the summit with, clash with Boca, just one point behind the top two, in La Plata on the same day. In relegation business, Gimnasia de Jujuy host Colón and Racing are at home to Argentinos, whilst title-chasers San Lorenzo have yet another clásico to play, this time at home to Independiente.

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With LDU Quito already lying in wait in the quarter-final after knocking out Estudiantes on Tuesday night, River Plate and San Lorenzo met in the Monumental to decide their all-Argentine last sixteen tie and, in a phenomenal match, it was San Lorenzo, the only one of Argentina’s ‘Big Five’ never to have won the Copa Libertadores, who progressed after it finished 2 - 2 in El Monumental. San Lorenzo found themselves two goals and two men down shortly after half time, but rallied to go through in extraordinary fashion.

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The goals from Wednesday night’s match in the Minerão between Cruzeiro and Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores are now online - here they are.

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Three Argentines clubs have already fallen in this year’s Copa Libertadores, and another is guaranteed to go on Thursday night when River Plate and San Lorenzo fight it out for a place in the last eight. Defending champions Boca Juniors, though, have booked their place in the quarter final after overcoming Brazilian challengers Cruzeiro 2-1 in Belo Horizonte to win 4-2 on aggregate. Following Sunday’s win the the superclásico, Carlos Ischia’s men are starting to get into their stride just as the season’s key weeks approach…

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The goals from the heroic failures of Argentina’s two clubs in the Copa Libertadores on Tuesday night are now online. And here they are…

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This week I make my first foray out of the internet realm and into the big, proper-writing world of print. The good people at British magazine When Saturday Comes have seen fit to provide me with my national debut this month. In ‘Season In Brief’ I write about the 1991 Torneo Apertura, in which Ramón Díaz finished top scorer as River won the first in the current era of the ’short championships’.

If you live in the UK and you’ve not bought WSC before, you should have done - it’s available in all decent city-centre newsagents (WHSmith, Border’s and so on). The new issue is out today, Weds 7th May, and you’ll find ‘Season In Brief’ on the last page.

Following Estudiantes’ aggregate loss to LDU Quito on Tuesday night, Lanús took on Atlas in the Estadio Jalisco and also exited the tournament. Having lost 1-0 last week in Buenos Aires, Ramón Cabrero’s side needed to win at least 2-1 to advance, and failed in agonising fashion - Lautaro Acosta got a 90th minute goal but it was an equaliser, not a winner, and the 2-2 draw takes the Mexicans through 3-2 on aggregate.

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Estudiantes de La Plata are left with only the Torneo Clausura title to fight for after a 2-1 victory over LDU Quito on Tuesday night wasn’t enough to see them through to the quarter finals of the Copa Libertadores. Drawing 1-1 at half-time, Estudiantes got the eventual winner on the night midway through the second half, but Liga held on for a 3-2 aggregate win which will see them face another Argentine side - either San Lorenzo or River Plate - in the next round.

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Tuesday night sees the start of the Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg matches, and by Friday we’ll know who the quarter-finalists are. Can San Lorenzo keep hold of their one-goal advantage over River Plate? Will Lanús and Estudiantes overturn first-leg deficits? And are holders Boca Juniors going to find a potentially Riquelme-less trip to Brazil one step too far? All the kick off times are right here…

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This wasn’t posted with the rest of the goal videos on Monday evening because I didn’t want it to overshadow them, or vice versa, in people’s attention. So, here is a nice long video for any Boca Juniors fans who want to re-live their side’s 1-0 victory over River Plate in La Bombonera on Sunday afternoon. Plenty of crowd footage to start with, but sit and watch for long enough and you’ll get to see some of the game as well. Enjoy.

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