The goal videos from both Saturday’s and Sunday’s matches will be online on Monday evening – Saturday’s haven’t been posted here yet because I’ve had a rather dislocated weekend. The weekend’s games saw the champions start where they left off – or rather not, since Banfield’s title was won in spite of a loss in their final match of the Apertura – by beating River Plate in the Monumental. Their former top scorer Santiago Silva got off to a good start with Vélez, scoring, although the team could only draw at home to Colón. Racing thrashed relegation rivals Central on Saturday and Lanús, 2-0 down at home to Huracán at half time, rallied to run out 3-2 winners. And in the last match of the weekend a frantic finish saw Argentinos Juniors claim a draw at home to Boca Juniors, with Juan Román Riquelme scoring against his former club (he didn’t celebrate). Life’s never dull in the Argentine league. Here are the first scorers from a whole new decade…
Primera División Torneo Clausura 2010, first round:
Godoy Cruz Antonio Tomba (F. Higuaín 81) 1 – 0 Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
Estudiantes de La Plata (M. Carrusca 40; M. Boselli 64, 68) 3 – 0 Arsenal Fútbol Club (C. Campestrini OFF 89)
Tigre 0 – 2 Chacarita Juniors (M. Echeverría 11, 53)
Vélez Sársfield (S. Silva 36) 1 – 1 Colón (L. Acosta 78; A. Mohamed (manager) OFF 90+2)
Racing Club (P. Lugüercio 39; M. Martínez 42; C. Bieler 76) 3 – 0 Rosario Central
Atlético Tucumán 0 – 1 San Lorenzo de Almagro (F. Bordagaray 24)
River Plate 0 – 1 Banfield (S. Fernández 74)
Newell’s Old Boys 0 – 0 Independiente
Lanús (G. Castillejos 73, 90; M. Velázquez 85) 3 – 2 Huracán (P. Toranzo 19; G. Machín 24; G. García OFF 84)
Argentinos Juniors (E. Muñoz OG 81; I. Sosa 90+2) 2 – 2 Boca Juniors (M. Palermo 44; J.R. Riquelme 85)
As already noted, check back on Monday evening for the highlight videos of Saturday and Sunday’s matches – Friday’s are already on HEGS (the post before this one).
You can follow the Clausura and the Argentine sides in the 2010 Copa Libertadores via HEGS on Twitter (including updates during and between matches and similar stories that might not go up on the site until later). I’m slowly gaining followers, but if you’ve not signed up yet you can do so here.
Hasta El Gol Siempre 
Sublime goal from Roman.
But Boca must be one of the worst teams in the world in the air. EVERY set piece is a harrowing adventure. Bring back Cata Diaz !!!!!!!
The new decade doesn’t begin until 2011!
I had this discussion with someone on Facebook, Justin. I know we’re not yet ten years into the 21st century, but in terms of how people will refer to it we’re now in the 2010s. The century started in 2001, but the decade starts when the ‘tens’ digit in the year changes, I reckon. You’d have a job convincing anyone that 1990 was the last year of the ’80s. They’re only artificial human constructs anyway!
I follow you Sam. ‘Decade’ in particular merely means any ten years, but it’s been co-opted in common usage to mean the interval starting with the ‘tens’ digit of the calendar year. So by that logic (flawed or, at best, simplistic), then I suppose we are in the new decade.