Matchday 15 round-up: Nine-a-side matches and days in court

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River Plate

Some fans claimed the atmosphere was like a Libertadores Cup final, an observation which points to a decent memory because the last time the Millonarios played one of those was in 1996.

All the same, after a promising start but then going a goal down, ÃÂngel âÂÂtiki tikiâ CappaâÂÂs debut saw River score two goals in 90 seconds - having not scored in the previous 534 minutes of âÂÂactionâÂÂ.


Ortega (right) battles as River beat Godoy Cruz

Rosario Central versus NewellâÂÂs Old Boys

The Rosario derby had everything youâÂÂd expect from heated parochial affairs such as these.

Elbows, late tackles, penalties, and red cards â three of those before half time.

There was one more sending off after the break, making things at a fair nine-a-side, and the game ended all square at 1-1, a result which most favoured CentralâÂÂs hopes of climbing out of the dreaded relegation playoff zone.

âÂÂWeâÂÂre paying the price for winning the title,â believes Vélez coach Ricardo Gareca after losing to Racing.

âÂÂYou canâÂÂt just send off a kid whoâÂÂs played five games,â was his defence of Ricky Alvarez, who followed up a booking for dissent with a red card for dissent.

Gareca feels his side are being victimised after the referees decision effectively won them the championship a year ago, something that would require consistency from the nationâÂÂs refs, so itâÂÂs probably not the case.

Marco Pérez

This weekâÂÂs Boca slayer goes by the name of Marco Pérez. Or, if you are the local press, make that Ebony Arrow, or the Colombian Samuel EtoâÂÂo.

Pérez out-bicycle-kicked fellow striker and commentatorsâ nightmare Denis Stracqualursi to grab his eighth of the campaign, and like Central and Racing, Gimnasia are still in the fight to stay up.


Perez has never met David Cameron in Plymouth

The Undertakers clearly havenâÂÂt heard what six pointers are, or else they surely would have approached the clash with Atlético Tucumán differently.

Readers will remember that this is the same board which âÂÂsuggestedâ that the coach up until five games ago, Fernando Gamboa, rethink his team selection. He refused, left, and in came Mauro Navas.

Speaking of barras bravas, La Doce and Los Borrachos made their voice heard this weekend, and rather than just the inane âÂÂcome on lads weâÂÂre going win we want to see you championsâ that they usually churn out all game, they brought out special banners to actually say something.

âÂÂPalermo â my only hero in this messâ wrote BocaâÂÂs âÂÂfansâÂÂ, while their counterparts up in Núñez declared Marcelo Gallardo a killjoy, and that he started the coup.

La Doce have sided with Palermo and not Riquelme in that particular battle, while Gallardo was criticised for supposedly having a part in Leo Astrada being fired last week.

Juan Román Riquelme

Riquelme, in the meantime, has been called up to declare in court about his press conference last Friday â not the part where he denied chatting up a teammateâÂÂs girlfriend, but the part where he suggested the barra brava had threatened the players.

Curiously, Román has been invited for this chat after speaking out about the barra, but he wasnâÂÂt invited when he was the star at one of the barraâÂÂs fund-raising events in December 2008. How bizarre.


"Hey, I think I got the wrong day for the match..."

To end up, the title is still up for grabs. Godoy Cruz lost, Argentinos drew, Independiente beat Banfield (wonder goal from Gracián included) and Estudiantes won to make it two points that separate the four contenders.

Results
Chacarita 1-2 Atlético Tucumán
Tigre 1-2 Estudiantes
Banfield 1-3 Independiente
River 2-1 Godoy Cruz
San Lorenzo 3-0 Huracán
Gimnasia 1-0 Boca
Rosario Central 1-1 NewellâÂÂs
Racing 3-1 Vélez
Arsenal 2-2 Argentinos
Colón 1-1 Lanús

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