Argentines Abroad: Messi hits three, Lamela key again, Aimar scores a cracker & more (videos)

Posted on Wednesday, 25 January 2012 by

It’s been another action-packed round of matches around the world, with Argentines once again providing no shortage of highlights. Step this way for the latest on Lionel Messi’s fine weekend performance and some impressive contributions in Italy, Spain, France, Portugal and Mexico from his inevitably less talented compatriots.

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Posted in Erik Lamela, Goal videos, Gonzalo Higuaín, José Sand, Lionel Messi, Lisandro López, Pablo Aimar | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Copa Libertadores 2012: Argentina’s challengers

Posted on Tuesday, 24 January 2012 by

Tuesday night sees Arsenal de Sarandí get the ball rolling in the first match of the 2012 Copa Libertadores, which is being played as this post goes online because I hadn’t realised it kicked off so early in the evening. I’m still in summer holiday mode, you know. Aside from Arsenal in the qualifiers, Argentina will be represented in the group stage by the two winners of the domestic league in 2011 – Vélez Sarsfield and Boca Juniors – and by the two next-best teams in Argentina during 2011, Lanús and Godoy Cruz. It’s a welcome return to the continent’s top table for Boca, and Godoy Cruz’s second appearance in a row, having never qualified for the Libertadores until last year’s edition. Here, I attempt to give a brief rundown of each side’s chances.

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Posted in Copa Libertadores, Season preview, Transfers | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Argentines Abroad: Another Messi double and more

Posted on Thursday, 19 January 2012 by

Another weekend passed some time ago now, and illness during the week combined with the recording of a couple of Hand Of Pod specials is the reason this post is going up late, but we’ve news of Lionel Messi’s return to goalscoring form in Spain, a Mauro Formica goal for Blackburn in England, and Diego Milito’s derby winner in Milan among much more here. Read on.

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Posted in Argentines abroad, Diego Simeone, Goal videos, Results | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Argentines Abroad: 2012 is upon us

Posted on Wednesday, 11 January 2012 by

Football has well and truly restarted in earnest after the new year festivities now, and with  action in Spain, Portugal, Italy, England and Mexico to report on Argentines Abroad is back – as is HEGS for that matter! Happy new year, everyone. There’s not much to say about Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or win that you can’t read elsewhere, so as usual my correspondents and I will be sticking to what’s gone on on the pitch over the weekend just gone. Step this way…

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Posted in Angel Di María, Diego Milito, Diego Simeone, Goal videos, Javier Zanetti, Jonás Gutiérrez, Results | Tagged , ,

I’ve just got in from celebrating Christmas with a friend, on the night of the 24th December as is tradition in Argentina. And as usual, I’d like to wish HEGS readers old and new a very Merry Christmas, if you celebrate it. I hope you have a wonderful one.

Merry Christmas to all

Posted on Sunday, 25 December 2011 by

Copa Argentina 2011-2012: the competition so far

Posted on Saturday, 17 December 2011 by

It’s been relatively unheralded here on HEGS so far, but Hand Of Pod listeners will be aware that there’s a new competition in Argentine football this season which is well underway. The Copa Argentina is the AFA’s first attempt at a regular knockout competition since the 1970 edition – the second – was abandoned at the semi-final stage. Knockout rounds were played by teams from every province in Argentina and, last month, clubs from the top two divisions – the Primera and the Nacional B – entered the fray. The few remaining matches from the last 64 won’t be played until February, so here I’ll recap who’s left in the tournament so far, and some of the main shocks.

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Posted in Copa Argentina, Domestic, Lower leagues, Primera A, Results | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

In the forty-sixth epsiode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Seba and English Dan look back on the 2011 Torneo Apertura, which ended on Monday. Boca Juniors ended as undefeated champions, and the champions with the most points difference ahead of the team(s) in second place. We look at Boca’s record, Racing’s underwhelming campaign, Tigre’s ongoing woe and Godoy Cruz’s joy at their Copa Libertadores qualification. There’s the Hand Of Pod Team Of The Apertura (well, most of it) and a whole glut of readers’ questions on everything from the structure of the league to Racing’s 1967 Intercontinental Cup win over Celtic. This is the last Hand Of Pod of 2011, so Merry Christmas to all, and a happy new year. The team will see you in 2012.

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Posted on Saturday, 17 December 2011 by

Argentines Abroad: Messi’s clásico masterclass and more

Posted on Friday, 16 December 2011 by

In England, the Premier League had a quiet weekend for Argentine action for the most part. Last week’s Hand Of Pod introducer Alejandro Faurlín featured as usual for Queens Park Rangers in a 1-0 loss away to Liverpool, and many for QPR felt he should have had a penalty late in the day after a Martin Skertel tackle, but the referee rejected his claim. For Newcastle United, Jonás Gutierrez drew a save from the opposing goalkeeper but couldn’t do much else, as his side fell 4-2 away to Norwich City. On Monday Sergio Agüero made a brilliant assist early on to allow Mario Balotelli to put Manchester City into the lead against Chelsea after only two minutes, but the Citizens ultimately fell to their first league defeat of the season, 2-1.

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Posted in Argentine national team, Argentines abroad, Ever Banega, Goal videos, International football, Lionel Messi, Results, Sergio Agüero | Tagged ,

Apertura 2011: A three-way battle ends with Godoy Cruz in the Libertadores (video)

Posted on Tuesday, 13 December 2011 by

The 2011 Torneo Apertura ended on Monday with, among other matches, three games which affected the battle for Copa Libertadores 2012 qualification. With Racing, Independiente, Tigre and Godoy Cruz all going into the last round with hopes of qualifying for the continent’s biggest competition, the mendocinos eventually won out, with a 2-0 win away to Atlético Rafaela. Racing lost 1-0 to Vélez Sarsfield and Independiente v Tigre finished 2-1 to the hosts, who had trailed 1-0 at half time. Elsewhere Colón beat Banfield 4-1, Lanús and Newell’s Old Boys drew 2-2, and San Martín beat San Lorenzo 1-0 to leave Leonardo Madelón’s side perilously positioned in the relegation table as we enter the summer break. All the goals from the day are here.

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Posted in 2011 Torneo Apertura, Argentine league, Copa Libertadores, Goal videos, Godoy Cruz, Independiente, Primera A, Results, Tigre | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Apertura 2011: Boca – and three other hosts – end with a win (video)

Posted on Monday, 12 December 2011 by

Boca Juniors became the third team in the history of the short championships to go unbeaten through a campaign on Sunday, when a Darío Cvitanich header gave them a 1-0 win at home to All Boys in their final Apertura match. They’re now 29 league games unbeaten. Elsewhere on Sunday, Estudiantes de La Plata won 2-0 at home to Unión de Santa Fe, and there were two more 1-0 wins for home sides in the Primera; Argentinos Juniors beat Olimpo and Belgrano de Córdoba beat Arsenal de Sarandí. In Nacional B, River Plate were in on the fun as well, beating Patronato, of Paraná 1-0 to end 2011 second, two points behind first-placed Instituto de Córdoba. The goals from all those games are right here.

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Posted in 2011 Torneo Apertura, Argentine league, B Nacional, Goal videos, Primera A, Results | Tagged , ,