The halfway point has arrived in the Torneo Apertura title race. There’s a .35-pointer at the bottom of the Promedio to kick things off – if Racing beat Central in Avellaneda they could, depending on results elsewhere, move out of the relegation zone for the first time in living memory. Leaders San Lorenzo travel to third-placed Vélez, whilst Tigre, sandwiched between the two of them, are away to Newell’s. Boca host Estudiantes and River are away against Gimnasia.
All kick off times are local. Add four hours for British Summer Time.
Primera División A Torneo Apertura 2008, ninth round:
Racing Club vs. Rosario Central (Fri, 19:00)
San Martín de Tucumán vs. Banfield (Fri, 21:15)
Vélez Sársfield vs. San Lorenzo de Almagro (Sat, 16:10)
Lanús vs. Argentinos Juniors (Sat, 18:20)
Newell’s Old Boys vs. Tigre (Sat, 21:10)
Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy vs. Godoy Cruz Antonio Tomba (Sun, 14:10)
Huracán vs. Independiente (Sun, 14:10)
Boca Juniors vs. Estudiantes de La Plata (Sun, 16:20)
Arsenal Fútbol Club vs. Colón de Santa Fe (Sun, 18:40)
Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata vs. River Plate (Sun, 18:40)
I’m spending Friday night in London so there won’t be a match report on the Racing vs. Central match, but normal service will be resumed by Saturday evening.
Filed under: 2008 Torneo Apertura, Argentine football, Argentine league, Argentinos Juniors, Arsenal de Sarandí, Banfield, Boca Juniors, Colón de Santa Fé, Descenso, Domestic, Estudiantes, Fixtures, Football, Football clubs, Gimnasia, Gimnasia Jujuy, Godoy Cruz, Huracán, Independiente, Lanús, Newell's Old Boys, Primera A, Racing Club, River Plate, Rosario Central, San Lorenzo, San Martín de Tucumán, Tigre, Vélez Sarsfield | Tagged: Apertura 2008, Argentine fixtures, Argentine football, Primera A
No match report, shame, it was brilliant! Nearly 3 in the morning and I’m up for work in four hours, but sleep’s out, it was fantastic. 4-1 to Racing, I will attempt a report in Sam’s absence…
20 minutes, Zuculini surrounded by Central players just outside their area, but the ball looked like it was tied to his boot as he threaded his way through and clear to score – GOOOOOOLAZOOOOOO!
Racing were killing Central on the right, and after Central had hacked a brilliant pull back behind for a corner, Maxi tried to cut in from that flank to be hauled down by the keeper – PENAL! The keeper was then sent off for hurling an object he found on the pitch at the Racing fans behind the goal, rather like Papa did at Newell’s last year. Maxi hit the penalty high past the substitute keeper for 2-0. GOOOOOLLLLL!
Racing had more success down the right, Sosa pulled back for Leandro Gonzalez – great player – to possibly accidentally touch it onto Luguercio, who amazingly applied just enough touch himself to set himself up to score on the turn GOOOOOLLLLL 3-0. LUGUERRRR, LUGUERRR, never expected to be singing that!
Maxi headed in for 4-0, GOOOO, oh no, that was disallowed for offside or more likely, for being Racing. Then in injury time in the first half Central were awarded a penalty for a foul committed outside the area by Gullotta, and Kili scored for 3-1.
Not unreasonably, I spent most of the second half expecting Central to score three times. Midway through the half, Maxi presented Lucero with the easiest chance with just the sub keeper to beat, but Lucero’s shot bobbled nearer the corner flag than the net. I merely considered that to be the usual Racing way, fooling us momentarily that we were actually going to win this game, before Central got their three goal salvo.
When Central got a corner, I expected a goal, and it happened… but amazingly, breaking out, Sosa played a brilliant pass to Maxi Moralez, who was a mile offside, but who cares, he rounded the keeper and shot into an empty net! 4-1!!! 4-1!!!! Racing were going to win! The last ten minutes saw Racing actually passing the ball around to the chants of ‘ole ole’, and another of Central was sent off. And Kili got booked for sarcastically applauding Racing’s fans when they whistled him as he was subbed. Booked after being subbed, ha ha ha! I was pretty sure I was dreaming this match at this point, but no, it has happened, Racing have beaten Central and were out of the promocion for, ooh, 2 hours.
Banfield have just beaten SMT 1-0 to drag us back into it again. The first time SMT have lost at home and Banfield won away for months, typical Racing! God love em : )
Come back Seba! It’s okay, we’re brilliant now!
Matthew,
Enjoyed your enthusiastic match report, enjoyed the game myself and particularly liked Zuculini’s remarkable threading of his way through a hornet’s nest of five orange and black shirts in the area en route to a lovely finish–but plainly the man of the match had to be Maxi.
Question r.e. M.M.: if he keeps up this wonderful run of form, how long can you keep him?
And a prediction: the next time he goes, it won’t be to the frozen steppes but to sunnier southern climes–a replacement, possibly, for Aguero when, as is inevitable, Kun’s buyout clause at Atletico is invoked and he moves north to where the large money grows.
(Hope not to ruin the occasion of a great victory for Racing with such dire thoughts…)
Tom C.