1. More red cards than goals as Lanús won a fiery Clásico del Sur
It might not be the Superclásico, the Clásico de Avellaneda or the Clásico Rosarino but Sunday’s Clásico de Sur between Banfield and Lanús was nothing if not a full-blooded battle for local bragging rights. It was Matías Almeyda’s Banfield who came into the match as one of the form teams in the Primera and four straight wins had rocketed them up the table but even at home against a Lanús side coming off the back off two bad defeats, the form guide went out the window.
Just twenty-four minutes were on the clock when the match provided its first red card and the first goal.
Sergio Vittor pulled back Lautaro Acosta as he bore down on goal, saw red for the challenge and Nicolás Aguirre thumped in the resulting penalty. The action did not end there though with both Óscar Benítez and Ricardo Noir receiving their marching orders for an off the ball spat which Noir was particularly displeased with and needed to be restrained by teammates after it was the linesman who spotted his part in the fracas.
After the break and with ten against nine, Lucas Melano extended Lanús’ advantage but within minutes balance was restored when Acosta received his second yellow card. The fiery attacker made gestures to the Banfield supporters as he left the field and needed a police escort down the tunnel. Further threats against Acosta since the match have led the 27-year-old to admit he regrets his actions.
Nine on nine and Banfield pulled one back through Mauricio Asenjo but were unable to push on for more, bringing to an end a breathless clásico.
2. Nueva Chicago held Boca as four teams now lead the table
In a bloated thirty-side top flight each weekend there is at least one fixture that looks about as much as a certainty as you can get in football. Round nine’s visit of winless Nueva Chicago to La Bombonera looked just that. However a mixure of sub-par performance from Boca that starved the usually deadly Dani Osvaldo of many chances, a spirited defensive display and a man of the match performance by Chicago keeper, Alejandro Sanchez meant it ended goalless.
The surprising result means Boca still sit top of the table but are joined by San Lorenzo, Rosario Central and rivals, River Plate all of which have 21 points from the opening nine fixtures.
San Lorenzo bounced back from last weekend’s defeat to River to record a narrow 1-0 win over Independiente courtesy of Héctor Villalba’s powerful strike and Rosario Central ended their run of three consecutive draws with a last gasp win over San Martin. Alejandro Donatti’s headed goal was virtually the last touch of the match and sparked wild celebrations in the Gigante de Arroyito led by an ecstatic Eduardo Coudet.
The manner of River’s victory is becoming almost habit as once again Marcelo Gallardo’s side failed to really click but managed just enough to claim all three points. Argentinos Juniors welcomed River to La Paternal and for a moment looked like they might claim a draw before Lucas Boyé popped up as River’s unlikely hero.
3. Martín Palermo saved his job with big Arsenal win over Newell’s
With Arsenal still without a win prior to Monday afternoon’s clash with Newell’s and coming off three straight defeats the feeling was that another defeat in Sarandí and Martín Palermo might be out of a job. Thankfully for the former Boca striker, his struggling side found recent signing Santiago Silva in inspired form and the well-travelled striker scored two fine headers either side of half time.
Played behind closed doors after the crowd trouble that affected the previous home match was perhaps beneficial to Palermo and his side (although Arsenal’s support could never be described as vociferous) but whether it was that or the poor performance from Newell’s, Arsenal were deserved winners.
Following a start to 2015 that consisted of five defeats and three draws it is a huge boost to Arsenal. Losing Milton Caraglio and Brahian Alemán over the summer was always going to be tough but I don’t think anyone at the club would have envisaged such a struggle. If Santiago Silva can start scoring on a regular basis then Arsenal should start pulling away from the bottom but for now this is just one win. They are off the bottom and Palermo can breathe for another week or so but defeat to Sarmiento and Quilmes in the next couple of matches will see that pressure right back on.
4. Mauricio Pellegrino fired after Estudiantes’ defeat – but who will replace him?
Martín Palermo may have bought himself some time but defeat for Estudiantes away to Tigre spelled the end of Mauricio Pellegrino’s reign as manager. Pellegrino himself has described the sacking as “unjust” but after not winning since the third round and in finding themselves in danger of getting knocked out of the group stages of the Copa Libertadores, Juan Sebastián Verón has swung the axe for the first time as club president.
The demands of playing midweek in the Copa Libertadores has obviously taken its toll and the injury to Guido Carrillo for some weeks reduced the sides goal threat but results in the Primera have not been good enough. That being said the move from Verón appears swift as Pellegrino is a highly rated manager who will probably not be out of work for long.
So who then does Verón see as a better option to take the club forward? The front runner, according to reports, is Independiente icon, Gabriel Milito. The 34-year-old does not have any top flight managerial experience but played under Pep Guardiola at Barcelona and has his coaching badges after working with Independiente’s youth sides. One train of thought is that with Independiente’s current manager Jorge Almirón’s position under threat, Estudiantes will have to move fast if they want to tie down Milito. If El Rojo do not beat Argentinos Juniors at the weekend there is a strong possibility they will come calling for the same man and with his strong connection to the club, El Pincha would be unable to compete.
Banfield’s Matías Almeyda is another rumoured option but he presents difficulties also as he is tied down to a contract until December and currently enjoying a good 2015. Uruguayan Gustavo Matosas, currently in charge of Liga MX giants, Club América has also been touted and although he is under pressure it is nearing a crunch time in the Mexican season and so Las Águilas would be loathed to allow their manager to leave.
The dream name on the list is Alejandro Sabella who is without a job since guiding Argentina to the World Cup Final. The 60-year-old manager won the Copa Libertadores as Estudiantes manager in 2009 with Verón as his captain, the reunion would be almost poetic but seems highly unlikely.
5. Racing’s Núñez played and scored with torn knee ligaments!
It isn’t quite Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann winning the FA Cup with a broken neck but Racing’s Carlos ‘Discoteca’ Núñez gave a decent homage during his sides 2-0 win over Huracán. The 22-year-old forward went down injured during the second half but continued to play and actually added Racing’s second goal when he skipped around goalkeeper Marcos Díaz with such light footwork that no one suspected any injury.
However, scans after the game discovered that Núñez had in fact ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and he will now be ruled out for six months.
A blow for Racing with such a hectic playing schedule but quite an achievement for young discoteca.
