Riquelme free-kick fires Boca to victory
Reuters - Monday 28 March 2011, 00:24
BUENOS AIRES - Juan Roman Riquelme
scored with a brilliant free-kick to give Boca Juniors a
much-needed 1-0 win against Colon that ended their three-match
losing streak in the Argentine championship on Sunday.
Boca took their tally to seven points in seven matches with
the victory at Colon's Elephants Graveyard ground in Santa Fe.
Both their wins have been away from the Bombonera where their
unsettled team have struggled under the pressure from their
demanding fans.
Riquelme took the free-kick on the hour outside the box on
the right and with players jostling in front of goal as they
expected the ball to come curling towards them he surprised
goalkeeper Diego Pozo by placing it inside the top near corner.
"I'm happy to have scored a goal that gave us a win. We
needed a triumph and today we managed to get it," Riquelme told
reporters.
Colon had Ariel Garce, a defender in Argentina's 2010 World
Cup squad, sent off three minutes from time for a studs-first
lunge at Boca substitute Nicolas Colazo.
Boca, who have only scored three goals while conceding
eight, are still a lowly 17th, eight points behind leaders
Estudiantes in the Clausura championship standings.
Velez Sarsfield, runners-up to Estudiantes in the Apertura
championship in the first half of the season, beat Arsenal 3-0
at home.
Uruguayan striker Santiago Silva, top scorer in the
Apertura, netted their first from a penalty for handball.
Midfielder Ricardo Alvarez added another with a lob and striker
Juan Manuel Martinez rounded out the scoring.
Estudiantes have 15 points after their fifth win in seven
matches, 3-0 against All Boys on Friday.
They are two points ahead of San Lorenzo and last week's
leaders Olimpo, who met in Bahia Blanca on Saturday where the
Saints notched up a 1-0 away victory with a goal by Uruguayan
striker Juan Manuel Salgueiro.
San Lorenzo have a game in hand after their clash at Velez
Sarsfield last weekend was abandoned following the death of a
Saints fan during fighting outside Velez's "Fortin" (fortress)
ground in the far west of the capital.
River Plate climbed to fourth on 12 points, ahead of Racing
Club on goal difference, after two goals from striker Leandro
Caruso gave them a 2-1 home win over Newell's Old Boys.