Argentine Apertura Round-Up: Banfield Find Daylight At The Summit

Fecha 15

Friday, 20th November

Estudiantes 3 - 1 Tigre

Lanús 3 - 0 Colón

Saturday, 21st November

Huracán 0 - 2 San Lorenzo

Atlético Tucumán 2 - 1 Chacarita Juniors

Independiente 1 - 2 Banfield

Sunday, 22nd November

Newell's Old Boys 2 - 2 Rosario Central

Boca Juniors 4 - 0 Gimnasia La Plata

Godoy Cruz 1 - 1 River Plate

Monday, 23rd November

Argentinos Juniors 1 - 1 Arsenal

Vélez Sársfield 4 - 2 Racing Club

Estudiantes 3 - 1 Tigre

A brace from Boselli eased Estudiantes over the line, as they picked up a home win over bottom placed side Tigre. It was a timely return to form for Estuadiantes. as they make their final preparations ahead of their trip to Abu Dhabi to take part in the Club World Cup.

Boselli got his first of the evening within five minutes and Ré doubled the home team’s advantage just shy of the hour mark. Cellay put the ball in his own net a few minutes later to let Tigre back into the contest but Boselli quickly popped up again to make it 3-1.

The win sees Estudiantes six points behind league leaders Banfield, having played a game more. Tigre stay bottom but free from any concerns of relegation at the moment.

Lanús 3 - 0 Colón

With precious Copa Libertadores qualifying points on the table, it was the home side who eventually ran convincing winners of this contest.

Lanús were far more forceful throughout the game, compared to the visitors, and punished Colón at crucial times, just before and after the half time interval. Menéndez put Lanús in front in the contest’s 40th minute, while two goals within ten minutes of the restart put the home side out of reach. First Blanco struck and then Salcedo converted from the penalty spot.

Despite the defeat, Colón are still handily placed to reach next year’s Copa Libertadores, although they do finish the weekend seven points shy of league leaders Banfield. Lanús continue to cruise in midtable but their overall points total keeps them in the Copa Libertadores hunt.

Huracán 0 - 2 San Lorenzo

Diego Simone’s San Lorenzo ended a run of three straight defeats with a victory in the club’s 'Clasico' over Huracán. The three points will reignite the visitor’s charge at a Copa Libertadores place, while the dark times continue for Huracán and their exiting manager Angel Cappa.

San Lorenzo’s goals came at the beginning and the end of the contest, with Civelli giving them the lead inside the first ten minutes and Torres doubling their advantage in the 90th minute. Huracán’s cause was not helped by losing Goltz for two bookable offences just shy of the hour mark.

The away team were kept from racking up a rugby score by the heroics of Monzon in the Huracán goalmouth. The game was also blighted by nasty scenes on the terraces, as tensions between the two sets of fans boiled over.

Atlético Tucumán 2 - 1 Chacarita Juniors

The home side walked away with all the spoils from this relegation six-pointer, although the result still leaves both clubs in the drop zone.

Atlético Tucumán seemed to have ended the first half on a high when Longo gave them the lead but his strike was pegged back a little against the run of play by Centurión just before the referee blew up for half time.

Finding themselves back on level terms, the home side continued to take the game to their visitors and were eventually rewarded when a goal from Escobar made it 2-1 with 15 minutes to go.

Survival stills seems a long shot for either team but Atlético Tucumán will be grateful of the hope that the three points give them going into the final four games of the season.

Independiente 1 - 2 Banfield

Banfield were able to open up a bit of daylight at the top of the league this weekend when they came from behind to beat Independiente.

The home side took the lead through Gandín’s 8th of the season just after half time but Banfield’s unbeaten record this season was only in doubt for less than five minutes as they conjured a quick equaliser through Mareque’s own goal.

Maximum points and Banfield’s 10th win of the season was ensured by Silva’s 12th goal of the campaign, as the visitors moved a step closer to claiming their first ever league title.

Some recent good form had seen Independiente move into contention for a place in next year’s Copa Libertadores but this home defeat does that challenge few favours.

Newell's Old Boys 2 - 2 Rosario Central

A point a piece in a heated Rosario Clasico did little to help either team in their battles at opposite ends of the table.

All four goals came in the first half with Núñez and Chitzoff firing Central into a quick fire 2-0 lead, before they were pegged back by goals from Boghossian and Achucarro before the game was even thirty minutes old.

The draw means Newell’s stand two points behind Banfield at the top of the league, while a point for Central means they continue to flirt with relegation.

The contest was marred by a number of fake tickets leading to a riot outside the ground with genuine ticket holders being denied their place in the stadium.

Boca Juniors 4 - 0 Gimnasia La Plata

A convincing home win for Boca left their fans with a feeling of too little too late, as they battered relegation threatened Gimnasia.

Goals from Medel and Insua gave Boca a 2-0 lead at the interval and in the second half Insua bagged his second of the game and Gaitán added a fourth late on.

The points could still come in handy for Boca as they look to get back on track for next season, while time is running out for Gimnasia to pull away from the drop zone.

Godoy Cruz 1 - 1 River Plate

River Plate’s head coach Leonardo Astrada was left bemoaning his side’s lack of cutting edge, as the club missed out on the chance to record back-to-back league wins for the first time since February.

Rosales got the visitors off to a dream start as he broke the deadlock within the first five minutes of the game but despite a number of good chances, a second goal eluded River.

The team from Mendoza eventually pulled level early in the second half through Rojas and with River’s confidence visibly draining, the game ended all square.

A point is neither here nor there for River, who cruise along in midtable, while the draw keeps Godoy Cruz’s head just above the relegation berths.

Argentinos Juniors 1 - 1 Arsenal

Both these teams have little to play for as the season enters the final straight and it showed as they played out a less than entertaining 1-1 draw.

The home side took a first half lead through Hauche’s strike on 20 minutes and with little threat being shown by Arsenal, it looked like the three points were staying with Argentinos. A home win looked even more likely when Arsenal had Jara dismissed just after the hour mark but they still managed to conjure an equaliser through Silva ten minutes from time.

Although both club’s are not quite safe from relegation, they should be able to pick up enough points in the next few weeks to avoid the drop.

Vélez Sársfield 4 - 2 Racing Club

A comprehensive home win for Vélez saw them leap from 9th to 5th in the league, while Racing stay in the relegation spots.

After some patchy form of late, which has seen Vélez go down to back-to-back 3-0 defeats, the home side demonstrated their class over struggling Racing with two goals in both halves.

It was Racing who took the lead in the game courtesy of a Díaz own goal but strikes from Caruso and Cabrera put the hosts 2-1 up at the interval. López and Cabral increased Vélez’s lead after the break before Grazzini grabbed a consolation strike for Racing late on.

Vélez now sit eight points behind league leaders Banfield with four games to play, while Racing continue to fail in their quest to avoid relegation.