Monday 17 May 2010

Argentinos clinch Clausura title

Arsenal 1-2 Godoy Cruz
San Lorenzo 2-1 Newell's Old Boys
Banfield 3-0 Boca Juniors
Chacarita Juniors 1-2 Racing Club
Gimnasia La Plata 3-3 Atlético Tucumán
River Plate 1-5 Tigre
Independiente 1-0 Lanús
Rosario Central 0-0 Vélez Sarsfield
Colón 1-4 Estudiantes
Huracán 1-2 Argentinos Juniors

Estudiantes did all they could to wrest the initiative from Argentinos Juniors on final day in the Clausura. Their two games kicked off at the same time and, after 22 minutes, Mauro Boselli had already struck twice to put Estudiantes in control against Colón. However, a minute later Juan Ignacio Mercier struck for Argentinos. That was going to be enough. Still Estudiantes poured forward and Boselli completed the hat-trick that took him top of the goal-scoring charts shortly after the break and Enzo Perez made it four. Facundo Curuchet pulled one back - too late to effect the result - but all eyes were still on the Tomas Duco where it remained 1-0, although Huracán had been reduced a man, Paolo Goltz picking up a second yellow. Surely no way back now and Facundo Coria made it 2-0 with twelve minutes to go. Pablo Jerez was sent off, reducing Huracán to nine, and Alan Sanchez got one back for them, but Argentinos eased down to a comfortable win to take the title.

The complicated and borderline corrupt relegation system sees Gimnasia and Rosario Central playing off against Primera B opposition at the end of the three-season cycle. Gimnasia blew a three-goal lead against Tucumán to end 3-3, although that hands the wooden spoon to Atlético. Gimnasia were three-up at half-time through Gaston Casas, Alvaro Navarro and Esteban Gonzalez, but it turned around in grand style as Emmanuel Gigliotti, Cesar Montiglio and Deivis Barone squared things up. Rosario were held 0-0 by Vélez and now face All Boys while Gimnasia play off against Atlético Rafaela in order to preserve their Primera Division status.

Godoy Cruz finish third after a 2-1 win over Arsenal having gone behind to Cristian Alvarez. Leonardo Sigali and Rodrigo Salinas struck to win it. Ignacio Piatti got a late winner for Independiente against Lanús as they finish fourth while Banfield's defence thumped nine-man Boca in finishing fifth. Marcelo Bustamante put them ahead just before the break and an own goal from Gabriel Paletta made it two shortly before Pablo Mouche picked up his second yellow. Ruben Ramirez made it three with the resulting free-kick and Boca ended with nine after Cristian Erbes also saw yellow for a second time. Boca's big rivals, River Plate, also ended on the end of a tubbing, Tigre going 5-0 ahead inside the first half. Rogerio Funes did pull one back after the break, but that was hardly going to settle a restless home crowd.

San Lorenzo end a troubled campaign on a winning note, Nelson Benitez with the winner twenty minutes from time and Racing beat ten-man Chacarita 2-1 after Claudio Cevasco was sent off. Only Tucumán's inability to win saves Chacarita from finishing bottom.

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