There’s one clásico to look forward to this weekend, as San Lorenzo host River Plate in what will be a bit of a revenge match for the Apertura game in the Monumental, when Sebastián Méndez tried to kill Radamel Falco García. Independiente manager Pepe Santoro turned 67 on Thursday, and will be hoping his side can give him a nice present away to Gimnasia La Plata, and elsewhere two sides who’ve had (by different standards) good starts to the Clausura go head to head in Liniers.
All kick off times are local. Add two hours for Greenwich Mean Time, or three for the match highlighted in orange.
Primera Divisón A Torneo Clausura 2009, fourth round:
Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata vs Independiente (Fri, 19:00)
Banfield vs Rosario Central (Fri, 21:15)
Vélez Sársfield vs Godoy Cruz Antonio Tomba (Sat, 17:10)
Newell’s Old Boys vs Colón de Santa Fe (Sat, 17:10)
San Martín de Tucumán vs Tigre (Sat, 19:20)
Racing Club vs Argentinos Juniors (Sat, 21:30)
Arsenal Fútbol Club vs Estudiantes de La Plata (Sun, 17:10)
San Lorenzo de Almagro vs River Plate (Sun, 17:10)
Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy vs Lanús (Sun, 18:30)
Boca Juniors vs Huracán (Sun, 19:30)
As usual, check back on Monday and I’ll try to get the goals up – although this is the weekend of the wedding I’ve come out to Mexico for, so I can’t promise anything 100% reliably…
Hasta El Gol Siempre 
I’m sure Seba will be here in a minute, but I feel physically sick after what I’ve just seen!
Furchi was actively looking for ‘fouls’ to give free kicks for. Before that joke of a free kick for a non-existent foul on Pavlovich, Penalba had done a ridiculous swallow dive that actually got a foul as well. These refereeing decisions are getting worse. Do you think that Racing are getting thse terrible decisions as payback for having no points deducted after the incidents against Estudiantes last year? But even that was after shocking decisions, when Belligoy was sending everyone off.
Anyway, well done to the team – particularly Luguercio – for really pulling out the stops to try and win this, but best well done to Caruso Lombardi. Just seeing his tough attitude on the sidelines reassured me, if we are to get out of this, he is exactly the man to do it.
Also felt sick to see San Martin get another last minute equaliser, every point they get could be vital. And I really hope it doesn’t inspire a Tigre backlash next week. I’m really worried about this game, Tigre have Altobelli and Morel back, though hopefully Lazzaro might be out (reduced to wishing injury on opposing players) and their first win will almost certainly come soon.
But Godoy Cruz at home is winnable, we just have to hope they have a major collapse (after beating Tucuman next week) because I really don’t fancy a shoot out with Gimnasia, and all that implies.
Can we take any more of this?
I’m back. I was ready to watch on television because on the TyC Sports website it was announced as a TyC Sports broadcast. Instead, just 10 minutes before kickoff, I realised it was TyC Max (pay-per-view). Since I don’t have that, I had to rush to a nearby restaurant to watch it (could have tried a webcast, but didn’t want to risk it).
I already had a shower and yet, I’m fuming! How many more referee mistakes can we take? There are 15 weeks ahead and I’m afraid we could get as much as 15 crucial calls against us.
If this run of horrible decisions had gone against Boca or River, or even San Lorenzo -a club that benefits from TV tycoon Marcelo Tinelli’s constant lobby and open criticism-, there would be riots on the streets and referees looking for different jobs.
One, three, even five calls against Racing…I can take. One in every match? That’s too much. This is a team that will struggle to get a result in normal conditions…how does anybody expect them to win when they play against 12 men every week?
I’d like to think I’m very open minded and I’ve got no problems accepting all our mistakes and flaws, so I feel like I’m entitled to have this regular rants.
Just like Matt, I welcome Caruso’s appointment and passionate approach.
Personally, I think if right after you score, you put 10-men with their back against their own keeper, you’re asking for trouble.
After that beautifully taken Lucero goal (what a link up on the right and a lovely cross for Lucero to head in from only inches away), Racing forgot about the game. It was a big mistake. Half an hour remaining. Half an hour giving away possession and inviting Argentinos to attack us.
If you add to that, the fact that you’re relying on a 37-year-old GK that all he does is get into fights with opposing players and then decides to go catching butterflies in the last kick of the game…you’re doomed.
If you also rely on a sub like Castromán, who is a supposedly experience player with a career in Europe, and all he does is committing fouls so the opposition can send high balls into our box…you’re doomed.
We’ve got 15 weeks of total agony. We need a complete turnaround if we aim to avoid the drop.
Today, after seeing what happened at Avellaneda and elsewhere…I don’t see it happening…I think we’re doomed.
Don’t forget Arsenal, Seba. Not many decisions against them either… I wonder why!
I think another telling point about the struggle at Racing came in Liniers as well… Vélez won 4-0, and some chap called Moaralez scored twice. A shame Llop, um, ‘couldn’t find a place for him’ in the team.
Maxi’s first goal was a peach. In fact, it’s the way he would have finished the chance Luguercio made for González in the first half of our game.
I didn’t see the first few minutes of Racing, trying to connect to these streams – typically, I only seem to have internet connectivity problems on Friday Satdy and Sunday night.
Anyway, did CL get a good reception from the fans? Did he make a big thing of going out for his first game? It certainly felt like a new era.
Why wasn’t Ramírez involved, was he injured or suspended? I mean, I like Leandro González, but not as a central striker, I prefer him out wide, coming inside to create chances, he’s good on the ball, but can’t finish split second chances like the one I just mentioned.
As for the keepers, what is Hilario Navarro doing on Independiente’s bench? I liked him for the brief time he played for Racing, yet we’re struggling on with a really poor line-up of keepers. Migliore should never play again, Campagnuolo is a hero like Chanchi Estévez and Pepe Chatrúc, but that was eight years ago. Gullotta looks the best of a bad bunch, but I think he’s been banished forever.
In a related point, is Estudiantes-Vélez definitely confirmed as the Friday night game this weekend? Because I might arrange to go out, I don’t really want to watch a whole match of Maxi playing for Vélez… I got involved in a stupid argument with a Vélez fan who was insulting Racing on the JTV chat box on Saturday night, until I discovered the ignore button…
Let’s see if I can help with some answers, Matt.
Ramírez was slightly injured. A muscular problem in one of his legs. If it was the World Cup final he would have played, but Caruso didn’t want to risk it (and I think it was a good decision).
The reception was quite warm, with a few banners wishing Caruso the best of lucks. There were also some chants aimed to the players and demanding a win that night. So it was a little bit bitter-sweet.
Caruso said after the game that he was gutted for wasting two points that way, but he also said he was relieved because he saw some players crying in the dressing room and he thought that was a good sign (talk about someone with motivational skills!).
Regarding the GK situation, I never quite understood why Gullota was benched. Yes, he made a mistake against Banfield, but he had some great moments and in my opinion he showed composure and determination when he was called up into action in our worst moment (the promoción matches too).
Migliore thinks he is bigger than Racing and he hit Fuertes on the back of his head for what was almost an own goal and then made a fool of himself at La Bombonera. I don’t want him back in the team.
Campagnuolo? Well…he is older than Racing! FFS! I don’t ever want to see him again. I don’t care if he helped us win the league in 2001. Cárdenas scored from 40 yards to help us beat Celtic in 1967 and that’s not enough reason to guarantee him a place in the starting lineup, is it?
Regarding this weekend’s fixtures. I’ve found this information. I’m not sure about that Thursday fixture between Godoy Cruz and San Martín de Tucumán. Given the importance that match has for us, Matt, you might as well check your usual links for streams.
-Jueves 5, a partir de las 21.30 por TyC Sports: Godoy Cruz – San Martín (T).
-Viernes 6, a partir de las 19 por TyC Sports: Estudiantes – Vélez Sarsfield.
A las 21.15 por TyC Sports y Canal 7: Lanús – Newell’s Old Boys.
-Sábado 7, a las 17.10 por TyC Max: Huracán – Gimnasia y Esgrima (J).
A las 19.20 por TyC Sports: Argentinos Juniors – Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP).
A las 21.30 por TyC Max: Tigre – Racing Club.
A las 21.30 por TyC Sports: Colón de Santa Fe – Banfield.
-Domingo 8, a las 17.10 por TyC Max: River Plate – Arsenal de Sarandí.
A las 19.30 por TyC Sports: Rosario Central – San Lorenzo de Almagro.
A las 19.30 por TyC Max: Independiente – Boca Juniors.