The 2009 Torneo Clausura began with a match-up between two of the 2008 Apertura’s title contenders as Tigre hosted San Lorenzo, and it was San Lorenzo who emerged victorious after a late surge gave them a 3-1 win. A little later in Parque Patricios, Huracán beat San Martín de Tucumán by a single goal.
The Clausura began with a clash between two offensively-minded sides, and Tigre started off the match more promisingly, with Pablo Jeréz raiding down the flank from his right back position and San Lorenzo ‘keeper Agustín Orión forced to come out for a few crosses in the early stages. All the same the first half was one of end to end play, with Hugo Barrientos hitting the crossbar for San Lorenzo before the visitors finally took the lead six minutes before the break when Tigre defender Norberto Paparatto turned into his own net following some good work by San Lorenzo forward Cristian Chávez.
In the second half things weren’t quite so open, and the match was rather less cleanly fought, with Cristian Ledesma a key player as he overpowered Diego Castaño in the midfield battle. Leandro Lázzaro came close to equalising for the hosts but saw his shot cleared off the goal line by Nicolás Bianchi Arce, before Castaño picked up a second yellow card in the 70th minute for attempting to rob Orión of the ball as the Tigre goalie tried to clear his lines.
With the numerical advantage, San Lorenzo were able to press forward with more assurance, and seven minutes after Castaño’s dismissal they took the lead as Jonathan Santana headed home from a cross to make it 2-0. Within a minute ten man Tigre had pulled a goal back, with Rodolfo Arruabarrena crossing and Néstor Silvera heading an own goal. As Tigre searched for the equaliser with the clock ticking down, San Lorenzo sat back and it was Silvera who confirmed the win, atoning for his earlier error by latching onto a long ball forward in stoppage time and finishing smoothly to make it 3-1.
At the Estadio Tomás A. Ducó, Huracán ran out 1-0 winners in Friday night’s other match over relegation-threatened San Martín. Mario Bolatti, who joined the club in the nick of time to take part in the match, scored the game’s only goal in the 86th minute, whilst for the visitors Pérez Castro was sent off a few minutes later. Not quite the change in fortune Carlos Roldán’s men were hoping for.
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Racing were robbed again!
Brilliant start with a wonderful volleyed goal by Lugüercio after only 2 minutes.
Then, 3 minutes later…a penalty for Lanús. One of those that are NEVER given. NEVER, unless it’s Racing on the losing end. TV? No thanks…they didn’t even show the replay. And that play came right after Campagnuolo was fouled inside the box by José SAND.
Still in the first half, Racing going forward, one of our players tries to cross it from the right. One Lanús defender raised his two arms and hit the ball with one of them. No call whatsoever. The linesman was right there in front of the action. Play on…a Lanús counter-attack on the hopoless Gonzalo Garcia’s flank (just how poor is that little guy! Where is Shaffer?) and Lanús were up 2-1.
TV? No thanks. The commentators didn’t see (or didn’t want to see) that blatant handball that would have been a dangerous free-kick for Racing and turned out to be Lanús’ second goal.
What the ref (and the linesman standing some 30 metres away from the action) did see was Mercado pushing one Lanús player that fell to the floor as he was hit by a missile. Instead of a yellow for each of the players (because the Lanús guy was pulling Mercado’s shirt and then he play-acted), it was a straight red for Mercado and game over for Racing.
Yes…we didn’t play a good game. Yes…Lanús are better than us, but come on! We can’t continue playing against the referees week-in, week-out! It’s just beyond belief for me. Don’t ask me about what happened in the second half because I was just too angry to keep watching how the guy with the whistle played his best game to beat Racing.
When will be the day in which we are on the receiving end of one refereeing mistake. Honestly, I can’t think of one and I’ve got plenty of examples of the opposite.
Hello again Seba! Not been here for a bit, after a difficult January. Was put off the Torneos de Verano by the disastrous game against Independiente. And now we get to the Clausura, and nothing changes.
Seba’s report is a perfect reflection of what went on. Why do AFA seemingly want Racing relegated? It makes you want to snatch that party foam from the referee’s back-side and spray it in Grondona’s face!!
Looking at the weekend as a whole, it could’ve been worse. Jujuy and SMT lost, which was good. GELP lost too, which isn’t great as I like them too, but we can’t be choosy about who goes down, Racing have to take anything we can get!
On the minus side, Central got a point – anyone see this game? – and then there’s the ridiculous game at River that I’m looking forward to reading Sam’s report on.
I’m really hoping Godoy Cruz go on a bad run. That keeper, Ibanez, is hopeless. Yes, he saved a pen, but he can’t hold onto anything, and I think opponents are going to get so many goals from his rebounds. The only time I’ve seen him play okay was, typically, against Racing!
Anyway, I’m not losing heart, Seba. I’m accepting that it’s going to be *exactly* like last year, going week-to-week with shredded nerves, but I still expect Racing to make it. Have cancelled all plans for Friday night, Huracan in El Cilindro is a must-win.
Oh yes, and it’s more or less a year since I found this excellent blog! :-) Found it on Google just before the first match of Clausura 2008, when I typed in ‘San Lorenzo V Newell’s Old Boys’ and I ended up here! I shall wish myself a happy anniversary, and on we go…
You timed it well, Matthew – HEGS itself turns 2 years old on Tuesday. Unfortunately match reports are a bit thin on the ground this weekend because I’ve had a couple of friends staying, and they’re sleeping in the room with the computer. Next weekend I’ll be on an aeroplane over to Mexico, where I’ll be enjoying myself for three weeks, so by my reckoning it’ll be round six before I’m able to actually write up any matches I’ve watched (unless there’s a break I’ve forgotten about during the first third of the championship).
On the plus side, I’ll be spending a few weeks in Mexico. Well, it’s a plus for me…