Argentinos Juniors got a good win against one of the championship pace-setters Lanús last week, but on Saturday they visited Huracán, a side who’ve enjoyed a great resurgence in form during this first half of 2009. The result was an annihilation, with the hosts running out 4-1 winners. A couple of hours later Vélez returned to the top of the table with a 2-0 win over Arsenal in Liniers. Neither River nor Boca will be able to climb that high in their more vaunted clash on Sunday afternoon.
Under ex-defender Claudio Ubeda last year, Huracán were sliding further and further down the Promedio standings and playing football that was, at times, verging on the offensive. Under Angel Cappa, it’s fair to say things have improved somewhat, and Saturday afternoon’s thumping, coming after two straight defeats, has lifted them to fourth in the Clausura table (although River would move above them with a win in La Bombonera on Sunday).
Huracán came flying out of the blocks at their bewildered visitors and within a minute of kick off, Argentinos goalkeeper Sebastián Torrico had already pulled off two smart saves. After totally dominating the opening exchanges, though, they fell behind to a Gabriel Hauche strike for Argentinos in the 28th minute. That was the kick up the backside they needed, though. Rather than folding – as in their last two matches against Colón and Independiente, when they’d deserved so much but come away with nothing – El Globo reacted immediately.
Within a minute of conceding, Huracán were back on level terms thanks to a great strike from Carlos Arano, who cut in from the left before smashing a shot across the goal and into the far corner. That squared things up by half time, and in the second period there was no looking back. Mario Bolatti scored in the 57th minute, before Juan Mercier was sent off for the visitors halfway through the second half. The final two goals came in the last five minutes, as Federico Nieto and Patricio Toranzo putting the gloss on the scoreline that was so richly deserved. It’s a championship so far headed by unlikely names as the winds of change blow through, and Huracán are right in there.
Vélez, shortly afterwards, won a comfortable match over Arsenal de Sarandí 2-0 to move back to the top of the table, leapfrogging Colón (who beat Independiente on Friday night). Uruguayan forward Hernán López opened the scoring after a Jonathan Cristaldo pass on the stroke of half time, and second-half sub Leandro Coronel doubled the score a minute into injury time. In the big relegation clash, there’s good news for Racing: Gimnasia La Plata were held to a 1-1 draw by Rosario Central (the goals from Juan Cuevas for the hosts in the first half, and Kily González ten minutes before full time for Central).
If Racing can get anything from Saturday night’s match (which will be played too late for me to write it up here, I’m afraid – we’ve got guests sleeping in my office tonight), I’m sure Seba and Matthew will let us know in the comments below…
Hasta El Gol Siempre 
Ha ha ha Sam, how did you guess I’d be here! THREE WINS IN A ROW! Yes, three matches. One after the other. All wins! :)
Racing 1 (Lucero 9PT) ‘B’anfield 0.
And Racing are finally starting to look like a team. There was the usual agonising last fifteen minutes in which Barralles hit the post and Migliore flapped at a high ball only to be saved by a handball called on a Banfield player which I didn’t spot, but other than that, it was pretty calm as Racing matches go.
Aveldano has really come into his own this last two matches, fantastic defending from him again. And we all know Migliore can’t get hold of the ball, but his shot stopping and bravery are really starting to make Racing fans, well, if not ‘fond’ of him, then no longer absolutely detest him. Actually, some were singing his name tonight, and only Luguercio of the current lot seems to regularly deserve that tribute. Maybe they were doing it to really annoy Lucchetti?! Kind of ‘we hate you so much we even prefer this guy to you!’ ja ja ja. Migliore might be over-egging the pudding though with his ‘man of the people’ act while things are going well…
Lovely goal that won it as well, cutting through Banfield like butter – well done Caballero, Luguerrrr and Lucero!
I’m actually looking forward to the San Lorenzo match now.
Actually, what is happening on the ‘managerial merry-go-round’? I logged on to the Central match expecting to see Merlo, and Freddie Mercury-Russo is sitting there in the stands watching the team he’s about to take over!
Can’t believe Mostaza’s quit another club, again because of what a player’s been saying about him. He seems to have a very thin skin, you expect these DTs to be as hard as nails and not care about what people think of them.
Either that or, after the great Racing result last week, it’s a case of ‘Come In Agent Merlo, your mission has been completed!’ je je je
And there are no words to describe my reaction to Racing fan Cholo Simeone taking over at San Lorenzo after he apparently turned Racing down when Llop went. (Is that true, Seba?). I really hope Caruso can plot another 1-0 win, it seems to be the only way Racing can win these days, but I’m enjoying it, it’s like an old Merlo side!