Six Argentine clubs play off against each other this week and next for the right to go into the round of sixteen of the 2011 Copa Sudamericana, thus beginning the new season of continental football. The first two to face one another were Arsenal de Sarandí and Estudiantes, who met on Tuesday night. Having qualified solely thanks to winning last year’s Torneo Apertura, Estudiantes have seriously slid form-wise since then, and were rubbish again, losing 2-0. You can watch Arsenal’s goals right here.
Copa Sudamericana 2011, playoff first leg, Tues 30th August
Arsenal Fútbol Club 2 – 0 Club Estudiantes de La Plata
You can follow the latest news from the selección and Argentina’s foreign legion of players, as well as the domestic championship, River Plate’s first second division campaign in over a century and the ever entertaining/tragic/infuriating capers of Julio Grondona & chums direct from Buenos Aires with HEGS on Twitter. If you’ve not signed up yet you can do so here. You can also join the official HEGS Facebook group, to keep up to date with the latest posts on the blog and discuss things with other fans. You’ll find it here. And remember to bookmark Hand Of Pod, our Argentine football podcast, or if you prefer you can subscribe to it on iTunes here.
Hasta El Gol Siempre 
Did Estudiantes field a weak team, giving some players a rest?
No.