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Battle of Argentine titans ends in victory for Boca
Buenos Aires, Nov 11: Boca Juniors wins match against arch-rivals River to extend lead in Argentina.
Buenos Aires, Nov 11: Boca Juniors wins match against arch-rivals River to extend lead in Argentina.
Boca Juniors beat arch-rivals River Plate 2-0 in Argentina's most prestigious fixture on Sunday (Nov. 09) to extend their lead in the Apertura championship. The South American champions went four points clear with five matches to play after second-placed San Lorenzo were held to a 1-1 draw at Colon. Midfielder Sebastian Battaglia and Brazilian striker Iarley scored either side of halftime as Boca won in River Plate's Monumental stadium for the second time in a row. Boca outplayed their opponents and the only surprise was that it took 35 minutes before Battaglia, who has been surprisingly overlooked by Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa, headed the first goal following a free kick.
Despite missing 19-year-old striker Carlos Tevez, who is expected to be out for one month with a knee injury, Boca increased their lead when Iarley left two defenders in his wake before firing past goalkeeper Franco Costanzo in the 52nd minute.
After the match around 700 angry River Plate fans gathered outside the dressing rooms and demanded the resignation of Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini.
Pellegrini spent one hour locked in a meeting with club officials, leading to rumours that he would be fired on the spot, but club president Jose Maria Aguilar said Pellegrini's job was secure.
"Manuel Pellegrini is River's coach and he will continue to be so," said Aguilar.
Boca coach Carlos Bianchi dedicated the win to his daughter Brenda, who is recovering from a heart attack. Despite four South American Libertadores Cup titles with Boca and Velez Sarsfield, Bianchi has never been on the winning side as a coach at the Monumental.
Line-ups: River: Franco Costanzo; Ricardo Rojas, Horacio Ameli, Eduardo Tuzzio, Osmar Ferreyra; Eduardo Coudet, Guillermo Pereyra, Javier Mascherano, Daniel Luduea; Daro Husain and Fernando Cavenaghi. Coach: Manuel Pellegrini.
Boca: Roberto Abbondanzieri; Luis Perea, Rolando Schiavi, Nicols Burdisso, Clemente Rodrguez; Sebastin Battaglia, Ral Cascini, Diego Cagna; Matas Donnet; Pedro Iarley and Antonio Barijho. Coach: Carlos Bianchi.
Bureau Report
Boca Juniors beat arch-rivals River Plate 2-0 in Argentina's most prestigious fixture on Sunday (Nov. 09) to extend their lead in the Apertura championship. The South American champions went four points clear with five matches to play after second-placed San Lorenzo were held to a 1-1 draw at Colon. Midfielder Sebastian Battaglia and Brazilian striker Iarley scored either side of halftime as Boca won in River Plate's Monumental stadium for the second time in a row. Boca outplayed their opponents and the only surprise was that it took 35 minutes before Battaglia, who has been surprisingly overlooked by Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa, headed the first goal following a free kick.
Despite missing 19-year-old striker Carlos Tevez, who is expected to be out for one month with a knee injury, Boca increased their lead when Iarley left two defenders in his wake before firing past goalkeeper Franco Costanzo in the 52nd minute.
After the match around 700 angry River Plate fans gathered outside the dressing rooms and demanded the resignation of Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini.
Pellegrini spent one hour locked in a meeting with club officials, leading to rumours that he would be fired on the spot, but club president Jose Maria Aguilar said Pellegrini's job was secure.
"Manuel Pellegrini is River's coach and he will continue to be so," said Aguilar.
Boca coach Carlos Bianchi dedicated the win to his daughter Brenda, who is recovering from a heart attack. Despite four South American Libertadores Cup titles with Boca and Velez Sarsfield, Bianchi has never been on the winning side as a coach at the Monumental.
Line-ups: River: Franco Costanzo; Ricardo Rojas, Horacio Ameli, Eduardo Tuzzio, Osmar Ferreyra; Eduardo Coudet, Guillermo Pereyra, Javier Mascherano, Daniel Luduea; Daro Husain and Fernando Cavenaghi. Coach: Manuel Pellegrini.
Boca: Roberto Abbondanzieri; Luis Perea, Rolando Schiavi, Nicols Burdisso, Clemente Rodrguez; Sebastin Battaglia, Ral Cascini, Diego Cagna; Matas Donnet; Pedro Iarley and Antonio Barijho. Coach: Carlos Bianchi.
Bureau Report