Boca Juniors extend lead in Apertura to eleven points with outstanding win over second-placed Atletico Rafaela.
Boca Juniors, Argentina's most popular club, are only a step away from clinching the Argentine Apertura championship after extending their lead at the top of the table to nine points, after inflicting a 3-1 defeat on their closest rivals Atletico Rafaela on Sunday. With only six rounds left in the competition, it seems that no team has what it takes to catch Los Xeneizes.
Meanwhile, Velez's chances of claiming the title were severely dented after they were on the wrong end of a 3-1 defeat to Argentinos Juniors on Saturday. Besides Boca, the only other teams that made progress at the top end of the table were Colon de Santa Fe and Lanus, clubs which both claimed important victories.
Velez Sarsfield practically kissed goodbye to their chances of winning the Apertura championship after falling 3-1 to Argentinos Juniors in La Paternal on Saturday. Velez boss Ricardo Gareca fielded a side mixed with starters and reserves due to their Copa Sudamericana commitments next week and paid the consequences.
The first period lacked action and it seemed destined to end without a goal, however, on the stroke of half-time Santiago Salcedo appeared in the area to poke home a Gustavo Oberman cross.
Ten minutes into the second half Argentinos went two-up, when Velez defender Sebastian Dominguez turned another Oberman cross into his own net.
After the goal Argentinos took their foot off the pedal, and their approach proved costly as Velez pulled a goal back, when in the 63rd minute Emiliano Papa sent a free-kick into the area and Guillermo Franco, who was left totally unmarked, headed the ball into the back of the net.
The goal sparked Velez into life, and they went in search of the equaliser, however, in the 71st minute goalkeeper Marcelo Barovero brought down Roberto Brum in the area for a penalty kick, and was sent-off too. Paraguayan striker Salcedo stepped up to the spot and made no mistake to seal Argentinos an important victory.
Independiente and Arsenal de Sarandi fought out a dull goalless draw on Saturday, a result that didn't do any favours for either side. Independiente were more disappointed with the result, as not only were they jeered at by their own fans, but the draw means that they could miss out on qualification for the 2012 Copa Libertadores.
Ramon Diaz, the coach of Independiente, fielded an attacking-minded side which looked for a goal at all moments, however, as has been the case in recent weeks they lacked ideas.
Arsenal, who have already assured themselves of participation in the Copa Libertadores, came closest to taking the lead in the first half when a crossed shot from Nicolas Aguirre was saved by Independiente goalkeeper Fabian Assmann.
The introduction of Diego Churin in the second half sparked Independiente to life, and he had two opportunities to put his side ahead, first with a header and then with a shot.
Towards the end of the match Arsenal could have snatched all three points, but after a cross from the right a Mauro Obolo header was saved by Assmann.
Boca Juniors extended their lead atop the Apertura championship after defeating Atletico Rafaela 3-1 at the Bombonera stadium on Sunday. By beating their closest rivals, Boca now have a nine-point advantage at the top of the table.
Rafaela, who only returned to the Argentine top-flight this season, started strongly and could have taken the lead inside the first three minutes, with two clear-cut opportunities that were not taken advantage of by Walter Serrano and Federico Gonzalez.
The visitors were made to pay for their lack of finishing, when in the 6th minute Boca went ahead when Nicolas Blandi beat Guillermo Sara with a clinical finish. Ten minutes later Blandi was at it again, this time meeting a good ball from Cristian Chavez before firing a low shot past Sara. Blandi had scored both of Boca's goals against Argentinos last week.
From then on it was all one-way traffic, as Boca completely dominated their opponents, and looked extremely dangerous each time they moved to the attack.
Four minutes from full-time, Chavez was sent through by Clemente Rodriguez and he blasted the ball home with his left boot to seal Boca a much-deserved victory that practically assures them of the title.
On the stroke of full-time, when it seemed that the match was more than finished, Alexis Nicolas Castro scored a consolation goal for Rafaela.
Colon de Santa Fe climbed into third-place, ten points behind league leaders Boca, after snatching a 1-0 away win over Belgrano de Cordoba at the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium.
The only goal of the match was converted by veteran striker Esteban Fuertes, when he fired home a penalty kick in the 79th minute.
Colon dominated great part of the first half, creating several clear goal-scoring opportunities. Fuertes, Tomas Costa and Ivan Moreno y Fabianesi all had chances to put the visitors ahead in the first half.
Belgrano picked up their game in the second period, and could have gone ahead through Cesar Pereyra when he was caught out by Federico Mancuello, but Colon goalkeeper Diego Pozo came out just in time to block the effort.
Fuertes ended up handing his side the three points with a well-executed penalty kick eleven minutes from the final whistle.
Meanwhile, Velez's chances of claiming the title were severely dented after they were on the wrong end of a 3-1 defeat to Argentinos Juniors on Saturday. Besides Boca, the only other teams that made progress at the top end of the table were Colon de Santa Fe and Lanus, clubs which both claimed important victories.
Velez Sarsfield practically kissed goodbye to their chances of winning the Apertura championship after falling 3-1 to Argentinos Juniors in La Paternal on Saturday. Velez boss Ricardo Gareca fielded a side mixed with starters and reserves due to their Copa Sudamericana commitments next week and paid the consequences.
The first period lacked action and it seemed destined to end without a goal, however, on the stroke of half-time Santiago Salcedo appeared in the area to poke home a Gustavo Oberman cross.
Ten minutes into the second half Argentinos went two-up, when Velez defender Sebastian Dominguez turned another Oberman cross into his own net.
After the goal Argentinos took their foot off the pedal, and their approach proved costly as Velez pulled a goal back, when in the 63rd minute Emiliano Papa sent a free-kick into the area and Guillermo Franco, who was left totally unmarked, headed the ball into the back of the net.
The goal sparked Velez into life, and they went in search of the equaliser, however, in the 71st minute goalkeeper Marcelo Barovero brought down Roberto Brum in the area for a penalty kick, and was sent-off too. Paraguayan striker Salcedo stepped up to the spot and made no mistake to seal Argentinos an important victory.
Independiente and Arsenal de Sarandi fought out a dull goalless draw on Saturday, a result that didn't do any favours for either side. Independiente were more disappointed with the result, as not only were they jeered at by their own fans, but the draw means that they could miss out on qualification for the 2012 Copa Libertadores.
Ramon Diaz, the coach of Independiente, fielded an attacking-minded side which looked for a goal at all moments, however, as has been the case in recent weeks they lacked ideas.
Arsenal, who have already assured themselves of participation in the Copa Libertadores, came closest to taking the lead in the first half when a crossed shot from Nicolas Aguirre was saved by Independiente goalkeeper Fabian Assmann.
The introduction of Diego Churin in the second half sparked Independiente to life, and he had two opportunities to put his side ahead, first with a header and then with a shot.
Towards the end of the match Arsenal could have snatched all three points, but after a cross from the right a Mauro Obolo header was saved by Assmann.
Boca Juniors extended their lead atop the Apertura championship after defeating Atletico Rafaela 3-1 at the Bombonera stadium on Sunday. By beating their closest rivals, Boca now have a nine-point advantage at the top of the table.
Rafaela, who only returned to the Argentine top-flight this season, started strongly and could have taken the lead inside the first three minutes, with two clear-cut opportunities that were not taken advantage of by Walter Serrano and Federico Gonzalez.
The visitors were made to pay for their lack of finishing, when in the 6th minute Boca went ahead when Nicolas Blandi beat Guillermo Sara with a clinical finish. Ten minutes later Blandi was at it again, this time meeting a good ball from Cristian Chavez before firing a low shot past Sara. Blandi had scored both of Boca's goals against Argentinos last week.
From then on it was all one-way traffic, as Boca completely dominated their opponents, and looked extremely dangerous each time they moved to the attack.
Four minutes from full-time, Chavez was sent through by Clemente Rodriguez and he blasted the ball home with his left boot to seal Boca a much-deserved victory that practically assures them of the title.
On the stroke of full-time, when it seemed that the match was more than finished, Alexis Nicolas Castro scored a consolation goal for Rafaela.
Colon de Santa Fe climbed into third-place, ten points behind league leaders Boca, after snatching a 1-0 away win over Belgrano de Cordoba at the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium.
The only goal of the match was converted by veteran striker Esteban Fuertes, when he fired home a penalty kick in the 79th minute.
Colon dominated great part of the first half, creating several clear goal-scoring opportunities. Fuertes, Tomas Costa and Ivan Moreno y Fabianesi all had chances to put the visitors ahead in the first half.
Belgrano picked up their game in the second period, and could have gone ahead through Cesar Pereyra when he was caught out by Federico Mancuello, but Colon goalkeeper Diego Pozo came out just in time to block the effort.
Fuertes ended up handing his side the three points with a well-executed penalty kick eleven minutes from the final whistle.
