Saturday's Torneo Apertura matches were big ones, the first for the title race and the second for the relegation battle. Estudiantes de La Plata easily outclassed champions Argentinos Juniors, winning 3-1 in Quilmes with goals from Gastón Fernández, Maximiliano Núñez and Gabriel Mercado. A little later, River Plate turned in perhaps their most impressive performance... Continue Reading →
Racing beat Gimnasia, and All Boys win again
Racing easily saw off Gimnasia La Plata with some very nice football on Friday evening, but the big story was in Floresta, where All Boys beat Banfield 2-1 and, in the last action of the match, visiting striker Rubén Ramírez challenged All Boys' Hugo Barrientos a little too strongly for the latter's taste, and the... Continue Reading →
Hand Of Pod episode 3
The third episode of Hand Of Pod, featuring myself and the Dans English and Australian, is online now. We discuss Cristian Fabbiani's girth, Martín Palermo's slowness, Juan Sebastián Verón's lack of pace and reveal just how little we know about Goiás, Independiente's opponents in the Copa Sudamericana final. You can listen to it here.
Torneo Apertura 2010, round 17 fixtures
For some reason, the seventeenth round of the 2010 Torneo Apertura gets underway in a couple of hours' time, when Arsenal de Sarandí visit Olimpo in Bahía Blanca. The rest of the games are being played in the normal slots during the weekend. Godoy Cruz will host title-chasing Vélez Sarsfield knowing that just a point... Continue Reading →
Vélez win to keep the heat on, and Torneo Apertura round 16 scores and scorers
Vélez Sarsfield claimed a 2-1 victory at home to Tigre on Tuesday evening in the final match of the 16th round of the 2010 Torneo Apertura, to remain only two points behind Estudiantes de La Plata as the championship edges closer to its conclusion. Santiago Silva claimed a great finish (my reaction to which you'll... Continue Reading →
River celebrate though they didn’t play, and the champions win
River Plate were the side who benefited most from Huracán's 1-2 home defeat to Lanús on Monday evening, since it was a result which, for the first time in months, lifts River out of the relegation promoción (playoff) places. Later in the evening, Argentinos Juniors beat Colón at home by three goals to nil. On... Continue Reading →
River win, Boca lose, and Estudiantes edge closer
Estudiantes de La Plata edged a little closer to deciding what's proving a neck-and-neck race with Vélez Sarsfield for the 2010 Torneo Apertura title with a 2-1 away win over Independiente on Sunday afternoon. Juan Pablo Pereyra gave them the lead and former Racing forward Gastón Fernández hit a winner against his favourite club's bitter... Continue Reading →
Saturday’s goals
Saturday involved an early start and a late finish for me in socialising terms in the evening, so here are the goals from it now. Quilmes claimed only their second win of the season, at home to All Boys by two goals to one, with an uncharacteristic screw-up from Albo goalkeeper Nico Cambiasso. Racing won... Continue Reading →
Godoy Cruz qualify for 2011 Copa Libertadores
Godoy Cruz qualified for next year's Copa Libertadores on Friday night with a 3-1 away win over Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, and in so doing they'll become the first team from the province of Mendoza ever to play in the Copa. Needing a draw to secure qualification, Godoy went ahead through Nico Sánchez early... Continue Reading →
Torneo Apertura 2010: round 16 fixtures
Estudiantes visit Copa Sudamericana finalists Independiente on Sunday, Vélez Sarsfield host Tigre on Tuesday (a match too late to be covered by the weekly Hand Of Pod podcast) and Boca Juniors travel to Newell's Old Boys. Meanwhile on Friday evening, Godoy Cruz will confirm their place in the 2011 Copa Libertadores with a draw away... Continue Reading →