Newell’s Old Boys visited Roberto Sensini’s Estudiantes in the first match of the weekend, and had their unbeaten start to the Clausura comprehensively taken to pieces as the hosts smashed them 5-2. Pablo Piatti scored twice and Newell’s boss Ricardo Caruso Lombardi was sent off shortly before half-time in a match which got the third round of the Clausura off to an eye-opening start.
Piatti, the best player on the pitch out of numerous candidates for the honour amongst the home team, saw an early shot pushed away by Newell’s goalkeeper Justo Villar, who could only watch his deflection fall to Iván Moreno y Fabianesi to give Estudiantes a second minute lead and set the match on its way. In the 20th minute, Santiago Salcedo levelled for Newell’s, but the hosts went in ahead at the break after Ezequiel Maggiolo’s 37th minute strike.
In the second half, there was never any question of Newell’s continuing to remain in the game as a contest, as Juan Manuel Salgueiro and Pablo Piatti both scored to make it 4-1 before Matías Donnet could grab Newell’s second consolation of the evening in the 76th minute. Piatti wrapped up a great performance both for the team and individually with his second goal five minutes later.
Estudiantes played fantastically, then, and Sensini’s attacking intentions have clearly translated well to his squad. Not even mentioned above is Juan Sebastián Verón, his main conductor on the field of play, who continues to play like a man years younger, and whose team today showed they’re going to be competing for the title, with every reason to believe they can go all the way.
Hasta El Gol Siempre 