In the Estadio Florencia Sola they’re celebrating along with those in the upper tier of La Bombonera. Banfield may have lost to Boca Juniors, but for the first time in their 113 year history, they’re champions of Argentina thanks to San Lorenzo’s 2 – 0 win away to Newell’s Old Boys which ended the lingering hopes La Lepra had of claiming the crown again themselves.
Boca’s goals both came from Martín Palermo, first from the penalty spot after Julio Barraza tried to clear the ball inside the box and caught an opponent’s head instead, and then just before the hour mark from open play. The day belonged to Banfield though.
The pressure seemed to get to both the title contenders. San Lorenzo took an early lead in El Coloso against Newell’s, and could have been ahead even earlier had Sebastián Peratta not saved a penalty six minutes in. The rosarinos looked toothless in the face of a San Lorenzo side who were playing for pride more than anything. Fabián Bordagaray scored twice for the visitors, and his second was met with raucous cheers from the away end in La Bombonera.
Those fans were made to bite their fingers by the fact that their side – who needed a point to make it impossible for Newell’s to do more than force a playoff – played their worst match of the campaign. Santiago Silva, for a change, never looked like scoring, and got very little service and Boca seemed determined to press a point home. Banfield become the fourth team to claim the title in La Bombonera (except for Boca themselves of course), but the hosts were determined not to let it be on their own terms.
At the end of the match though, the fans didn’t care. Founded in 1896, Banfield have gone over a century without a top flight trophy. No longer. ¡Banfield campeón! Felicidades al Taladro.
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Hasta El Gol Siempre 
Hi HEGS! It’s great to see some variability and unpredictability in the Argentine championship. Is it a coincidence though, that is has come as Boca and River’s traditional dominance is in tatters? And has this Big Two decline had a negative effect on the national team?