More fútbol argentino than you can shake a mullet at
Estudiantes de La Plata were crowned champions of the 2010 Torneo Apertura on Sunday thanks to a 2-0 win over Arsenal de Sarandí with two goals late on from Rodrigo López. Vélez Sarsfield also won 2-0, away to Racing with two brilliant goals, including a goal-of-the-season contender from Juan Manuel Martínez, but Estudiantes' win meant... Continue Reading →
Estudiantes de La Plata have won the 2010 Torneo Apertura after a 2-0 win at 'home' in Quilmes over Arsenal de Sarandí. An edgy and at times frustrating match was settled late on by goals from Gastón Fernández and Rodrigo López, to leave Vélez Sarsfield trailing two points behind in spite of their own impressive... Continue Reading →
Obviously they couldn't both win, but from a neutral point of view it almost felt that way on Friday evening as Godoy Cruz visited All Boys and, for the second Tomba match in a row since securing Copa Libertadores 2011 qualification, served up a partidazo ending in a draw. After taking a very early 2-0... Continue Reading →
It's here. The final round of the 2010 Torneo Apertura is upon us, and the destination of the Argentine league title will be decided on Sunday. With the Copa Libertadores places already wrapped up and relegation issues still another torneo away, the focus will be entirely on Estudiantes' home match against Arsenal de Sarandí, and... Continue Reading →
On Thursday, the penultimate round of the 2010 Torneo Apertura concluded with wins for both Olimpo - now unbeaten in five games, into the bargain - and Quilmes. The latter beat San Lorenzo 1-0 and, with Ramón Díaz one of the favourites along with Marcelo Bielsa and Alejandro Sabella to take over River Plate when... Continue Reading →
I would not normally post an update on two competitions in the same post, but I don't normally have the bad fortune to be on an aeroplane when potentially decisive matches are played in both of those competitions. So excuse a rambling goal video post. On Wednesday night, Independiente beat Goiás 3-1 before winning the... Continue Reading →
The fourth episode of Hand Of Pod is online now, less than 24 hours before I return to England. You can listen to myself and the Dans discussing Argentine football over frankly slightly too much Fernet Branca on the HOP blog, or of course on iTunes. Enjoy.
The eighteenth round of the 2010 Torneo Apertura will be played in midweek, in order that the championship can finish as originally scheduled this weekend following the postponement of the twelfth round in the wake of Néstor Kirchner's death. The downside for HEGS readers is that this will disrupt my coverage somewhat, since I'm going... Continue Reading →
Boca Juniors at long last claimed another win on Sunday with a 1-0 defeat of Quilmes in La Bombonera. After recent talk of veterans - including on the Hand Of Pod - it was 20-year-old Cristian Erbes who got the only goal of the game midway through the second half. Elsewhere on Sunday, Vélez Sarsfield... Continue Reading →
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 →
Hasta El Gol Siempre 