Handball decision denies River win
Reuters - Monday 18 October 2010, 02:40
BUENOS AIRES, Oct 17 (Reuters) - River Plate's teenage
striker Rodrigo Funes Mori was denied a spectacular
stoppage-time winner for River Plate against Godoy Cruz
following a controversial handball decision on Sunday.
River went ahead twice in the match only to be pegged back
and were lucky not to concede a third goal to Godoy Cruz in the
dying minutes when Cesar Carranza shot wide from a good
position.
In a brilliant counter-attack in added time, former
Argentina forward Ariel Ortega played a superb ball from the
right flank to substitute Funes Mori who chested the ball down
on the run and rifled a shot into the top corner.
The linesman, who was up with the action, did not wave his
flag but referee Federico Beligoy, close to the half-way line,
ruled out the goal for handball. Video replays showed Funes
Mori had chested the ball down without using his shoulder.
The 2-2 result left Godoy Cruz and River equal on 17 points
from 11 matches.
They are nine points behind Apertura championship leaders
Estudiantes, who came from behind to draw 1-1 at Colon.
Earlier on Sunday, Racing Club came from a goal down to
beat title holders Argentinos Juniors 2-1 with both goals by
Colombian playmaker Giovanni Moreno.
For the first time in the championship, Boca Juniors did
not concede a goal as they beat Huracan 2-0 at home with goals
from strikers Martin Palermo and Lucas Viatri.
Velez Sarsfield and Arsenal, joint second, won their
matches to cut Estudiantes' lead to three points. Velez beat
Quilmes 2-0 on Friday and Arsenal won 3-2 at Gimnasia in La
Plata on Saturday.
Quilmes' former Argentina youth team trainer Hugo Tocalli
became the fifth coaching casualty of the season when he
resigned after the match with the winless team on six points.
Velez strikers Juan Manuel Martinez and Uruguayan Santiago
Silva lead the scorers list on seven goals while Palermo and
Godoy Cruz midfielder David Ramirez have six.