I was busy on Thursday (busy by the standards of an underemployed freelancer, at least). I wrote three articles, and two of them are already online. For The Mirror, here's a profile of one of Liverpool's transfer targets, River Plate centre forward Lucas Alario. And for ESPNFC , I wrote something on the Uruguayan reaction to Álvaro... Continue Reading →
Two more managers resign
It's becoming a veritable Black Monday in the Argentine Primera División. Daniel Garnero resigned as Independiente manager this morning, and now he's been followed by Huracán manager Héctor Rivoira, who took charge of this morning's training session before phoning club president Carlos Babington to communicate his resignation. If Rivoira was aiming to be the first... Continue Reading →
Argentine sides in the Copa Libertadores, 9th Feb 2010
Colón have failed to make it through to the group stage of the 2010 Copa Libertadores, losing out to Chile's Universidad Católica penalties after a 5-5 aggregate draw. Meanwhile some of the groups are already underway, and Lanús played their first match in the competition proper on Tuesday evening. They didn't appear to have learned... Continue Reading →
Copa Libertadores 2010: Colón 3 – 2 Universidad Católica – the goals
Oh yes, competitive football is finally back! The first meaningful match of the new decade on Argentine soil took place in El Cementerio de Los Elefantes on Tuesday night, as Colón hosted Universidad Católica of Chile in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores qualifying stage, and it was a humdinger. Colón won, but Antonio... Continue Reading →
Would everybody please stop getting shot (or stabbed)?
This week, I’ve written for ESPN Soccernet on the murder of Daniel López in Colón’s stadium during their match against Banfield on Saturday, along with the death, early on Sunday morning, of Rodrigo Silva, the Huracán barra who was shot three-and-a-half weeks ago by members of San Lorenzo’s firm. There’s also a look at the... Continue Reading →
Pre-season begins in earnest
Odd to be thinking this, never mind writing it, so soon after the previous season ended in South America (and delayed congratulations, by the way, to forwards Damián Mansó and Claudio Bieler, and manager Edgardo Bauza for ensuring some Argentine glory in the Copa Libertadores as Liga de Quito beat Fluminense on penalties last week), but... Continue Reading →
Flores in, Ahumada out, and Bravo to follow…
Oscar Ahumada made a bit of a stir during River's successful Clausura campaign, criticising the club's fans in the aftermath of the superclásico defeat in La Bombonera before going on to be one of the team's best players in the subsequent matches, superb in particular against championship competitors Estudiantes. Today, though, as new River striker... Continue Reading →
Denis to Napoli, and an angry Turk
Independiente aren't yet out of the hunt for a Copa Sudamericana place, but if they qualify for continental competition they'll be playing in it next season without their top scorer Germán Denis, whose transfer to Napoli is looking more and more like a done deal. Colón manager Antonio 'El Turco' Mohamed, meanwhile, is refusing to apologise... Continue Reading →
As you were… and a change at the top
On Wednesday evening, River Plate and San Martín de San Juan played the final 13 minutes of their fourth round Torneo Clausura match, which was called off due to torrential rain first time round. There was very little to say about such a short match. Elsewhere, ex-Huracán manager Antonio 'Turco' Mohamed has taken over at... Continue Reading →
Colón barra gets six years
José Gastón Mendoza, a member of Colón's barra brava, has been sentenced to six years imprisonment for attempting, in February 2006, to murder a fellow fan during a match against River Plate. The Santa Fe courts handed down the sentence on Friday, and hope it will act as a warning to other barras in both... Continue Reading →
Hasta El Gol Siempre 