Estudiantes go top as Tigre and Boca falter
Reuters - Monday 26 March 2012, 02:14
Estudiantes went top of
the Argentine Clausura championship with a 2-1 win at Argentinos
Juniors as Tigre lost 1-0 at Arsenal and Boca Juniors were held
2-2 at home by Lanus on Sunday.
The leaders are one point clear of Boca and Tigre but Velez
Sarsfield can catch them on 15 points with a win at home to
Newell's Old Boys on Monday night.
Estudiantes went ahead after only three minutes with a
penalty by striker Mauro Boselli. Nicolas Berardo equalised
before fellow defender Raul Iberbia tapped in the winner from a
low right cross.
The pick of the weekend, though, was the visit of Lanus to
the Bombonera and neutrals were not disappointed with a fine
match that Lanus might have won against a Boca side down to 10
men for half-an-hour after Clemente Rodriguez was sent off.
The first half ended with a flurry of goals after Boca took
the lead in the 39th minute when winger Pablo Mouche exchanged
passes with Juan Roman Riquelme at a corner and hit a long, high
ball over goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin and into the top corner.
Marchesin had only seconds earlier made a superb diving save
from a fine Riquelme effort, giving away the corner.
In the 42nd minute, Boca went two up when a shot by
midfielder Diego Rivero was blocked and the ball fell to
Riquelme, who shot low into the bottom corner.
Lanus pulled one back a minute later when striker Mariano
Pavone headed in a high cross from right-back Carlos Araujo and
he celebrated with glee after suffering jibes from Boca fans
because he was in the River Plate side relegated last season.
The visitors were level 10 minutes into the second half when
central defender Paolo Goltz headed home Uruguayan Mario
Regueiro's corner and soon after Lanus's former Italy winger
Mauro Camoranesi had a goal disallowed for offside.
Argentina left-back Rodriguez was sent off just past the
hour for dissent having just been booked.
Arsenal, who are vying with Boca for a place in the knockout
rounds of the Libertadores Cup, ended previous leaders Tigre's
unbeaten run when central defender Guillermo Burdisso headed the
only goal in Sarandi.