Velez Sarsfield clinch Argentine title
Reuters - Sunday 12 June 2011, 23:30
BUENOS AIRES - Velez Sarsfield won the
Argentina Clausura championship with a match to spare after a
2-0 away win over Huracan on Sunday.
Second-placed Lanus lost 1-0 at home to Argentinos Juniors
to fall four points behind Velez, who have now won eight league
titles, before next weekend's final matches of the season.
"We deserved it because we're the best (team) in Argentine football," Velez's Ricky Alvarez was quoted as saying by sports daily Ole.
Uruguayan striker Santiago Silva headed Velez into the lead six minutes after halftime in a match played behind closed doors because of a ban on spectators at Huracan's Duco stadium after crowd trouble three weeks ago.
Substitute David Ramirez converted a late penalty for his eighth goal of the championship as Velez's top scorer after team mate Sebastian Dominguez and Huracan defender Facundo Quiroga were sent off in the 75th minute for fighting.
Argentinos scored their winner in the 57th minute when Gustavo Oberman's lob came back off the post to German Basualdo who squared the ball for striker Nicolas Blandi to fire home.
River Plate drew 1-1 away to Estudiantes, Apertura winners in the first half of the season, and remain at risk of dropping into the relegation-promotion playoffs if they lose at home to Lanus in their last match next weekend.
Right back Paulo Ferrari fired River into the lead early in the second half with a fine left-footed shot from outside the box but defender Matias Sarulyte headed the equaliser six minutes later from a Leandro Benitez free kick.