After six matches of stubborn refusal, Boca Juniors manager Julio César Falcioni finally caved in and sent a team out built around playmaker Juan Román Riquelme on Sunday night. He was rewarded, in the midst of a fairly drab match away to Colón, with a piece of brilliance which rolled back the years to when Riquelme was a key figure for Villarreal and Argentina. When Boca got a free kick from out on the right wing, Riquelme shaped to cross, and then smashed it into the near top corner to give Boca a 1-0 win. Elsewhere, Vélez Sarsfield beat Arsenal de Sarandí 3-0, Independiente and Banfield drew 1-1, and Tigre equalised with almost the last kick to draw 2-2 at home to Godoy Cruz (a match featuring a free kick almost as good as Riquelme’s). Riquelme’s goal, along with all Sunday’s others and the weekend’s scores and scorers, is right here.
Primera División Torneo Clausura 2011, seventh round
Asociación Atlética Argentinos Juniors (S. Escudero OFF 90+2) 0 – 0 Quilmes Atlético Club (S. Martínez OFF 90+2)
Club Estudiantes de La Plata (N. Cambiasso OG 18; C. Vella OG 23; L. González 53) 3 – 0 All Boys
Huracán (R. Battaglia 8; J. Cámpora 17) 2 – 0 Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
Club Olimpo 0 – 1 San Lorenzo de Almagro (J.M. Salgueiro 73; J. Bottinelli OFF 74)
Lanús (M. Regueiro 59; C. Carranzo 68; C. Izquierdoz 84; G. Pizarro 90+2) 4 – 1 Racing Club (P. Toranzo 28)
River Plate (L. Caruso 34, 72) 2 – 1 Newell’s Old Boys (M. Sperdutti 40; R. Schiavi OFF 79; C. Bieler OFF 85)
Tigre (D. Stracqualursi 62, 90+1) 2 – 2 Club Deportivo Godoy Cruz Antonio Tomba (M. Donda 27; A. Navarro 45)
Independiente (E. Tuzzio 7) 1 – 1 Banfield (C. García 42)
Colón (A. Garcé OFF 87) 0 – 1 Boca Juniors (J.R. Riquelme 60)
Vélez Sarsfield (S. Silva 24; R. Alvarez 35; J.M. Martínez 62) 3 – 0 Arsenal Fútbol Club
Tigre 2 – 2 Godoy Cruz
Independiente 1 – 1 Banfield
Colón 0 – 1 Boca
Vélez 3 – 0 Arsenal
This lot really do have possibly the worst celebrations in the league, don’t they?
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Photo taken from ole.clarin.com
Hasta El Gol Siempre 
Three humongous points for Boca, particularly with Estudiantes up next. At this point every point achieved helps to avoid relegation next year. Incredible that Bosteros are in a position to worry about that after the summer hopes, but true.
A true Roman, how did he do that(?), free kick. Another major positive was Falcioni’s finally pulling Palermo off and inserting Viatri. Viatri has never been my favorite player, but he was more dangerous and active in his first 10 minutes on the pitch than Palermo has been the entire Clausura. I certainly hope Falcioni, and the Boca faithful, saw that and there won’t be bellowing grief and consternation next week if Viatri is in the starting eleven.
And one last thing, Ariel Garce, he who invades the unconscious of Diego Maradona(cuidado !), should be suspended for at least a few matches after a studs up, ridiculous and dangerous challenge on Colazo late in the match.
Great free kick by Roman – I guess. If the Colon player hadn’t moved out of the way, it would have hit him.
Falcioni states Palermo will start against Estudiantes. Amazing. If Martin was a racehorse he would have been put out to stud by now, or euthanized.