Monday saw two big games in the run-in to the race for the 2011 Torneo Clausura title in Argentina. After Vélez Sarsfield had been beaten by Tigre on Sunday, their pursuers Godoy Cruz and Lanús had chances to close the gap. Lanús played their part, playing Huracán off the pitch in a 3-0 win, but Godoy Cruz were held 2-2 by Gimnasia La Plata, thanks to a stoppage time equaliser from Lucas Castro for the visitors. That means Lanús are one point behind leaders Vélez, with Godoy – who’d have gone joint top had they held on another two minutes – in third, a further point back. The goals from those games, as well as all the sixteenth round’s scores and scorers, and the permutations of the weekend just gone, are right here.
Primera División Torneo Clausura 2011, sixteenth round
Colón (I. Moreno y Fabianesi 71) 1 – 2 Asociación Atlética Argentinos Juniors (N. Blandi 20; F. Niell 64; G. Basualdo OFF 74)
San Lorenzo de Almagro (J.M. Salgueiro 48) 1 – 1 Arsenal Fútbol Club (A. González 19)
All Boys (A. Torassa 89) 1 – 0 Quilmes Atlético Club
Racing Club (M. Dos Santos OG 71) 1 – 3 Banfield (F. Ferreyra 19; M. Cáceres OG 29; R. López OFF 58; M. Bustos 90+1)
Club Estudiantes de La Plata 0 – 2 Independiente (L. Galeano 45; L. Villafañez 76)
Boca Juniors (M. Palermo 50) 1 – 0 Newell’s Old Boys
Tigre (D. Stracqualursi 24; G. Díaz 64) 2 – 1 Vélez Sarsfield (R. Álvarez 62)
Club Olimpo 0 – 0 River Plate
Lanús (D. Valeri 11; S. Romero 32; G. Pizarro 43) 3 – 0 Huracán
Club Deportivo Godoy Cruz Antonio Tomba (R. Ramírez 16; M. Donda 53) 2 – 2 Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata (A. Capurro 30; L. Castro 90)
Lanús 3 – 0 Huracán
Godoy Cruz 2 – 2 Gimnasia
The weekend’s results leave the top of the table as already described; with three rounds to go, Vélez are top, Lanús second one point behind, Godoy Cruz third, two points off the lead, and Olimpo – who are an outside bet but perhaps shouldn’t yet be totally discounted – fourth, four points behind Vélez. In the relegation standings, the most Quilmes can now possibly hope for is a relegation playoff place. They’re the most likely candidates to go down automatically, whilst the other spot is hotly contested between Gimnasia and Huracán. Huracán play the remaining 58 minutes of the called-off match against Estudiantes in the fifteenth round this Thursday – they’re 2-0 down. A loss would put them one point behind Gimnasia; if they could turn it round and draw, both sides would have exactly the same points/points average. The top relegation playoff place is still occupied by River Plate. River’s Copa Sudamericana hopes, in yet another table, could be compromised; if they finish in a qualifying place (which they currently are), but also in the playoff spots for relegation, then they won’t be allowed into the Copa regardless of whether they win or lose that relegation playoff. The full tables can be found on the HEGS tables page.
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Photo taken from ole.clarin.com
Hasta El Gol Siempre 