Primera División de Argentina - week 15

Estudiantes 3-1 Tigre
Lanús 3-0 Colón
Huracán 0-2 San Lorenzo
Atlético Tucumán 2-1 Chacarita Juniors
Independiente 1-2 Banfield
Newell's Old Boys 2-2 Rosario Central
Boca Juniors 4-0 Gimnasia La Plata
Godoy Cruz 1-1 River Plate
Argentinos Juniors 1-1 Arsenal
Vélez Sársfield 4-2 Racing Club
Estudiantes 0-1 Colón

Banfield continued their winning run to open up a gap at the top of the Apertura table after coming from behind to halt Independiente's surge up the table. After a goalless first half, Dario Gandin put Los Diablos Rojos ahead, but Lucas Mareque's own goal three minutes later squared it back up again. Handed that lifeline, the league leaders weren't about to pass up the opportunity and it was that man Santiago Silva who won it for them. The gap opens up because Newell's were held in the Rosario derby, coming from two goals down to snatch a point against their big city rivals. Two goals in two minutes put Rosario Central in front, Gervasio Nunez and Diego Chitzoff striking in the eleventh and twelfth minutes. Joaquin Boghossian pulled one back three minutes later and Jorge Achucarro sent the sides in level. And that's how it remained in a tense second half.

Estudiantes are two games ahead of most sides now having played twice for the second successive week. They put Tigre away, as expected, even scoring the bottom club's goal for them as Mauro Boselli starred in a 3-1 win, but they were turned over by Colón, Federico Nieto's stoppage time goal denying them a point. Colón lost their other game of the weekend, surprisingly beaten by Lanús. El Granate got all three goals around the half-time break, Cristian Menéndez just before and Sebastien Blanco and Santiago Salcedo's penalty just after. Colón remain third.

Huracán remain in bother after yet another defeat, short-handed to San Lorenzo. Paulo Goltz saw red early in the second half by which time Huracán had already gone behind to Renato Civelli. Juan Manuel Torres made it safe late in the second half. Chacarita and Racing are also still way down after both lost. Racing were in front against Vélez thanks to Gaston Diaz's own goal, but four unanswered goals left them with a mountain to climb. They did pull one back, way too late to make a difference. Chacarita went behind in first half stoppage time to Sebastien Longo, but went in level thanks to the wonderfully named Emmanuel Centurión. Fabio Escobar won it quarter of an hour from time for Atlético Tucumán.

River Plate were ahead in the third minute at Godoy Cruz, but were pegged back by Ariel Rojas shortly after the break and that's how it remained. Arsenal also drew 1-1 despite being a man and a goal down. Gabriel Hauche put Argentinos Juniors in front and when Franco Jara was sent off, that looked it for Arsenal, but Facundo Silva got the equaliser seven minutes from time. Finally, Boca won big, 4-0 at home to Gimnasia with Federico Insua getting two of them.

Back to a regular ten fixtures this week:

Rosario Central v Atlético Tucumán
Independiente v Huracán
Chacarita Juniors v Godoy Cruz
River Plate v Estudiantes
San Lorenzo v Boca Juniors
Tigre v Vélez Sársfield
Banfield v Racing Club
Arsenal v Lanús
Colón v Newell's Old Boys
Gimnasia La Plata v Argentinos Juniors

Banfield are favourites to remain top with a home game against a Racing side for whom the word hapless seems apt. Colón v Newell's looks a cracker, as do the games at River Plate and San Lorenzo. We'll have a round-up early next week.