Ayala flounders on Racing Club debut
Reuters - Monday 08 February 2010, 11:55
BUENOS AIRES - Former Argentina captain
Roberto Ayala's much-anticipated return home for Racing Club
turned into a nightmare in a 4-2 home defeat by Arsenal in the
Clausura championship.
Striker Mauro Obolo scored twice in the final five minutes
as it was evident that the tiring, 36-year-old Ayala, a libero
in a three-man back line, had not played since December.
Ayala, who captained Argentina a record 63 times in his 115
internationals, joined Racing as a free agent last week from
Real Zaragoza after 15 seasons in Europe.
He was slow and his timing, normally a key feature of his
game, was off. The defence also had little protection from a
team without a true holding midfielder that put all their cards
on attack with three strikers.
Racing began the Clausura with a promising 3-0 home win over
Rosario Central the previous weekend but lost 2-1 away to Colon
in mid-week.
Fans, who believed that the signings of two top strikers in
Claudio Bieler and Gabriel Hauche plus the arrival of Ayala
would make Racing candidates for their first title since 2001,
will be revising their aspirations.
Racing took a ninth-minute lead through Matias Cahais but
Arsenal, who had not scored in their first two matches,
equalised in the 25th when Benfica-bound striker Franco Jara
outwitted Ayala.
The home side led again when Hauche scored on the hour but
midfielder Diego Galvan equalised with 18 minutes to go before
Obolo won it for Arsenal.
Title holders Banfield fielded a reserve side and were
beaten 2-1 at Chacarita Juniors. They rested most of their
first-team players ahead of their opening South American
Libertadores Cup match at home to Mexico's Morelia on Wednesday.
Libertadores Cup holders Estudiantes, who open their defence
of the South American title at home to Juan Aurich of Peru in La
Plata on Thursday, beat San Lorenzo 2-0.
Velez Sarsfield, winners of last year's Clausura in July,
are top with seven points after Saturday's 2-1 home win over
Gimnasia-La Plata.
They are at home to Brazil's Cruzeiro,
Libertadores Cup runners-up last year, on Wednesday.