4746: Argentina Apertura 2007 Weekly

by : Cody Strunk

The highlight of the second round of matches in the Argentinean Apertura came at the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona, where pre-season title favourites Boca Juniors went down 3:2 to Argentinos Juniors, leaving them with just a solitary point after two games. Pablo Ledesma had given the visitors the lead on 13-minutes, but an Alejandro Delorte header a minute later brought the home side level. Roberto Battion had Argentinos Juniors ahead early in the second period, but a disputed penalty from Ledesma drew Boca level on 54-minutes and led to Argentinos boss Ricardo Caruso Lombardi being banished from his dug-out. That still didn’t stop Battion sealing the win for the home team on 72- minutes and leaving Boca already five-points adrift of the leading trio at the top of the table.

The three teams with 100% after two matches are Independiente, Estudiantes and Velez Sarsfield. Independiente are currently top of the pile on goal difference following their 3:0 win at Tigre, with goals from Victor Sosa and a pair from German Denis seeing them home. They now have eight goals to their name from just two games, with Denis having bagged four of them already.

Estudiantes, without the injured Juan Sebastian Veron, were made to work hard for their 1:0 win at home to Gimnasia Jujuy, with the visitors putting up stiff resistance until Rodrigo Brana broke the deadlock with 10-minutes remaining. Velez Sarsfield maintained their 100% start with a 3:0 win at home to newly promoted Olimpo, with Damian Escudero, Victor Zapata and Sergio Sena ensuring a comfortable win.

Defending champions San Lorenzo got off the mark with a 2:1 victory at San Martin San Juan. They had to battle back from a goal down to do so, with Luis Tonelotto putting the home side ahead on 69-minutes, before a Alejandro Gomez own goal drew the visitors level on 72-minutes. Gaston Fernandez secured the points with the decisive goal on 79-minutes. Mario Pacheco was sent-off for San Martin deep into injury-time to seal their fate.

Elsewhere Arsenal de Sarandi saw off Colon 2:0, with a goal in each half from Jose Luis Calderon and Leonardo Ulloa. Rosario Central twice lost the lead in drawing 2:2 with Gimnasia La Plata, with Damian Diaz and Jose Vizcarra scoring for the home side, only for Gimnasia La Plata to hit-back with goals from Santiago Silva and Pablo Batalla, the latter’s goal coming two-minutes from time. The visitors also had Santiago Gentiletti red carded in the last minute. A late goal from substitute Luciano Civelli secured a surprise 1:0 win for Banfield at Racing Club, while Lanus were held to a 1:1 draw at home to top-flight new boys Huracan. Diego Valeri’s goal for Lanus on 39-minutes was quickly wiped out by a Franco Mendoza header. Valeri was dismissed late on in the game for Lanus, although Cristian Sanchez Prette was also red carded for the visitors a couple of minutes later.

River Plate have still to kick a ball in the new campaign after a judge postponed their game at Newell’s Old Boys due to fears of hooliganism following the shooting dead of Gonzalo Arco, a leading member of the hardcore River Plate supporters club known as "Los Borrachos del Tablon”, in what is believed to be an internal feud within the group.