Penarol lift Uruguayan league title
Reuters - Wednesday 19 May 2010, 03:28
MONTEVIDEO - Penarol ended a seven-year
wait for the Uruguay league title on Tuesday after midfielder
Matias Aguirregaray's goal earned them a 1-1 with arch-rivals
Nacional.
Winners of the Clausura title in the second half of the
season with a record run of 14 wins and one draw, Penarol
lifted the trophy 2-1 on aggregate. Nacional won the season
opening Apertura championship in December.
Celebrations by fans of Penarol, one of the country's big
two clubs, were marred by violence in central Montevideo.
Central defender Alejandro Lembo put Nacional ahead in the
35th minute when he headed in a corner before Aguirregaray
equalised in the 68th minute.
Penarol had midfielder Gaston Ramirez sent off in the 79th
minute and Nacional substitute forward Sergio Blanco was also
shown the red card three minutes from full-time.
Coach Diego Aguirre was in charge when Penarol last won the
title in 2003 and he was at the helm again this year, appointed
after the team had a disappointing Apertura.
"There was a need to be champions, Penarol needed to win,
the happiness is incomparable. This is a moment of glory,"
former Penarol player Aguirre told reporters.
"We had a great championship, we beat all the teams and
that's exceptional."
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