More fútbol argentino than you can shake a mullet at
Argentina's five Copa Libertadores group stage representatives all started their qualification efforts this week – and all with rather frustrating results. There were goalless draws all round on Tuesday: Godoy Cruz got a creditable one at home to Olimpia of Paraguay, San Lorenzo visited Melgar of Peru, where both teams absolutely stank the place out,... Continue Reading →
Alianza Lima v River Plate (Wednesday, 19:30 local time/EST, 21:30 ART, 00:30 Thursday GMT) The euphoria of the epic extra-time victory at ‘home’ in the Bernabéu back in December is gone if certainly not forgotten, given the identity of their opponents in that match, for River Plate. The hard work of defending their Copa Libertadores... Continue Reading →
Jorge Wilstermann v Boca Juniors (Tuesday, 20:30 Cochabamba, 21:30 ART, 19:30 EST, 00:30 Weds GMT) Last year’s Copa Libertadores runners up Boca Juniors begin their quest to go one better on Tuesday night as the group stage of the 2019 competition gets underway. Boca are visiting Cochabamba, Bolivia, to take on Jorge Wilstermann, and readers... Continue Reading →
Two Argentine clubs were in Copa Libertadores action on Thursday evening. River Plate hosted Colombian side Independiente Santa Fe in their second group game, having drawn 2-2 away to Flamengo last month in the first. Here, they drew again; held 0-0 by visitors who were under pressure for most of the match, but earned the... Continue Reading →
There have been four midweek games so far involving Argentine sides. One was in the Superliga on Wednesday night, with Independiente hosting San Lorenzo in the game left over from earlier this year due to Independiente's involvement in the Recopa Sudamericana. In that match, which saw Fabricio Bustos red carded for the hosts, a 14th... Continue Reading →
Thursday night saw the continuation of the Copa Libertadores group stage, as the competition's most successful club, Independiente, hosted Colombian giants Millonarios in Avellaneda. Independiente had got off to a poor start with an unexpected defeat away to Venezuelan side Deportivo Lara in their first game, but got back on the front foot here with... Continue Reading →
The two most successful clubs in Copa Libertadores history got their campaigns started on Thursday night ... and neither went to plan. In Venezuela, Independiente (seven Copa wins) visited Deportivo Lara, and lost 1-0 thanks to an early strike from Carlos Sierra López, who came up with a fine volleyed finish from a tight(ish) angle.... Continue Reading →
Wednesday night brought two more matches for Argentine clubs in South America's premier club competition, and neither one will go down as a classic for the ages. First, Estudiantes de La Plata visited Gran Parque Central in Montevideo, to take on Uruguayan giants Nacional. They headed back across the estuary with a 0-0 draw under... Continue Reading →
The group stage of the 2018 Copa Libertadores got underway on Tuesday night, and the highlight came in Avellaneda, where Racing hosted Brazilian side Cruzeiro in the Cilindro. With Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli watching – just two days before he names his squad for upcoming friendlies against Spain and Italy – young striker Lautaro Martínez hit a... Continue Reading →
In the two-hundred and eightieth episode of Hand Of Pod, Andrés and I look back on last weekend's Superliga action - including Nacho Scocco's solo show (and Fernando Quintero's highly impressive debut) for RIver Plate, and Lautaro Martínez's hat trick for Racing, as well as the 1-1 draw between the top two, San Lorenzo and Boca... Continue Reading →
Hasta El Gol Siempre 