2 From El Gato, 2 From The Spot, Add 2 More = One Big Party In The Park

Maybe it's just that Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata are already bound for the relegation playoffs, and the National B ghosts that were present in the stands threw them off their game, or maybe La Lepra are just continuing on a tear that saw them convincingly win their prior two games, but 6-0 routs just don't happen very often. Needless to say, it was a party in the park for Newell's fans, and an afternoon that Los Lobos will want to forget, but will most likely have nightmares about for the rest of the week, if not their entire lives.

The goals... ah, the goals. The first came when Marcelo Estigarribia was fouled barely a millimeter inside the area for a penalty (I haven't been impressed with Estigarribia's play, but I have to admit that he somehow draws a lot of fouls.) Joaquín Boghossian proceeded to score, giving him the team lead in goals scored during the Clausura with six. Not two minutes went by before Mauro "El Gato" Fórmica added to the lead with a shot that Gimnasia keeper Gastón Sessa only managed to delay on it's way across the goal line. Topping off the first half scoring came a goal from an unlikely source, as Lucas Bernardi found himself alone with the ball on the right, with only the goalkeeper to beat. Now, Lucas is a defensive specialist, but give him enough time and, well, one faked shot, and a chip over Sessa later and it was 3-0 Newell's.

I'll give credit to Gimnasia for their efforts, even when the went into the second half down 3-0, and down a man thanks to Alvaro Ormeño receiving a direct red card for a retaliation foul on Diego Mateo in the 44th minute, they still tried to push the ball forward. Problem was that they couldn't get anything past Sebastián Peratta. In fact, while they were credited with four shots on goal, every one of them went to nearly the exact same spot, towards the bottom corner to Peratta's left. Let's face it, after a while it gets predictable.

Mr Sessa changed from wearing florescent yellow and black, to black to florescent yellow between halves, but it did him no good.  Juan Manuel Insaurralde scored off a beautiful header to continue the assault. Fórmica added the fifth goal with a left footed blast that would have made Mario Zanabria proud. The final goal again came from the penalty spot, as Rubén Maldonado was caught with a hand full of Boghossian's shirt in the area, earning himself his second yellow card of the day, and thus Gimnasia's second red. Schiavi calmly scored from the spot. Down two men at that point, Gimnasia offered little offense from that point on, and Newell's cruised to a well earned victory.

First half goals:


Second half goals:


Up next, the final match of the Clausura, as Newell's visit San Lorenzo.