Newell's Old Boys Earn Place In 2013 Libertadores

I had the day off, having scheduled my final floating holiday for the year a few months ago. When I saw that Newell's Old Boys were playing today I was all set to sit down and watch the game. For the first half, it was not meant to be. The channels through which I normally watch had Newcastle United playing Wigan in the English Premier League, a rebroadcast Boca Jrs match, and an Argentine highlight show, but no Newell's against At. Rafaela. I asked for a few via a tweet (twitter post, for those who do not know) and soon had a link... but I did not have the proper plug-ins to run the video via the website. Nothing was going my way.

So, I watched the first half of Newcastle and Wigan... on TV, no internet needed, and kept track of the Newell's match via Twitter, and checked out the first goal by way of Ole. Fabián Muñoz scored his first goal of the season in the first minute of the match to give Newell's a 1-0 lead. And that is how the first half ended.

At half time I took a break to take a shower, I'd spent the day doing some cleaning up around the house and really needed one. When I got back to the computer I again checked my usual sources for futbol feeds and found that yes indeed someone was showing the match. I loaded it up and found they were fifteen minutes into the second half, and Muñoz had scored his second goal of the day. Meanwhile, I still had Newcastle and Wigan going on the television. When Newcastle took a 3-0 lead my gut told me that Newell's were going to get a third as well. I put it off as wishful thinking...

And then, in the 84th minute Muño, the man of the match, sent a ball toVíctor Figueroa who launched a looping ball that set Ignacio Scocco with only the goalkeeper to beat. Scocco scored and Newell's ended the day with a win that sends them into the 2013 Copa Libertadores in style.



With only one game left Newell's find themselves in a three way tie for second place along side Lanús and Belgrano with 33 points. There is no longer a chance at a title as Vélez Sarsfield claimed that with a 2-0 win yesterday against a hapless Unión de Santa Fe.

Final match for La Lepra will be next weekend away to Argentinos Jrs.

Slim Margin, But Victory None The Less

Having missed Newell's Old Boys 3-0 win against Colón de Santa Fe due to a minor injury, and having played most the year with out impressing his mark, Mauricio Sperduti went into the match against Atletico Rafaela and proved that he can still be a force to be reckoned with. He was the best player on the field for much of the match, and provided the lone goal of the contest in the 24th minute off a well taken header... not the usual sort of goal we are used to seeing from El Gordo, but a welcome one none the less... less encouraging was the fact that when Sperduti left the match in the 80th minute he looked spent.

I saw a lot of good things in this game. Newell's passing was encouraging, if not perfect. There were a lot of one and two touch quick passes, and the midfield moved the ball around well. The defense held the opposition to few chances, which allowed Peratta a virtual night off (he only faced one actual shot on net).

Granted, this was against an opponent who is not exactly having a great season, but neither have we. This was the first time Newell's have won two games in a row in I do not know how long. During the entire Apertura La Lepra only secured one win. After six matches we have tripled that.

That is not to say that all is well. With all the passing we ended up with nine shots on net, which is great. Problem is, other than the goal from Sperduti, none of these shots were the sort that gave Rafaela keeper Guillermo Sara much to worry about. Most of them, in fact, were directed straight at him.

No, there is still much to improve upon in the attacking third of the pitch. Poor finishing, learning when to take a hard shot and when to pop a floater over the head of the keeper... with better finishing, and/or shot selection this could easily have been another 3-0 win.

Still, the win does put Newell's up to 10 points, only four off from current leaders Tigre. After only six matches this does not mean much, but after the disaster that was the Apertura I doubt that anyone would have guessed on the team starting out the Clausura so well.

Up next Newell's head back to Buenos Aires to face Vélez Sarsfield. Walking away from this match with a point will not be easy. Getting all three will take a near miracle.

El Rey De Los Empates?

Seven games played, five draws. That is the way I see Newell's Old Boys in this Apertura so far.

Let me start by mentioning the 0-0 draw against Atlético Rafaela, since I never got around to writing anything about it. I only saw the second half due to the match being played on a Friday. What I did see was not a boring 0-0 draw, but one in which both defenses were up to most of the challenges, and when they were not the goal keepers were there to handle things.

Today the match against Vélez Sarsfield ended 1-1, which is not a bad result for La Lepra, but I for one am still frustrated at the inability that Newell's continue to display.

Sure, Newell's scored a goal in this game, off a beautiful diving header from Carmelo Valencia, but it was the only truly dangerous play that the offense managed to create... well, that and the foul on Sperduti that should have resulted in a penalty that the referee apparently did not see.

Again, I only got to see the second half, but this time it was due to my forgetting the early kick off time, and getting involved in a bit of a musical project.

Ah, well. Another weekend, another draw for Newell's. This is almost getting predictable.

So far I'm not finding any video highlights... I will try again later.

Up next, Newell's travel to Avellaneda to face Racing Club.

Bye, Bye Central, Hello All Boys

I'm not going to lie, I only saw about 30 minutes of All Boys 3-0 victory over Rosario Central. Long story short, I was in the hospital from about 6pm on Friday until around 4pm Saturday, and I'm tired, not feeling well, and nothing has been resolved. But that's not what this blog is about, so...

As I'm not feeling well, I'll keep this short and sweet, or try anyway... Newell's are now the only team in the Primera A, generally known as just the Primera. Rosario Central, having lost their home/away play off (by a total score of 4-1 ( their away match ended in a 1-1 draw,) say goodbye to the Primera. Central will have a crosstown rival to face as they will be joining Tiro Federal in the National B (commonly just known as the B.) Newell's however, will have no Clasico Rosarino to play next season.

As Central descend to the National B, All Boys will join the Primera A. I don't think their stay will last long. They had only gained promotion to the B back in 2008, and, unless their bank account is such that they can strengthen their team, I expect them to be the whipping boys for the 2010-2011 season. While they did beat Central 3-0 in an away game, Central, from what little I saw of the game, out played them in every aspect but one... finishing off their chances. In fact, Central took 12 shots, but could only manage to put 4 on target, while All Boys only managed to take 8 shots, but put 7 on target, and, of course, 3 into the back of the net.



Meanwhile, in the other relegation/promotion play off match, Gimnasia LP secured their survival with an impressive 3-1 home win over Atletico Rafaela. Gimnasia had lost the away leg 1-0, so the final total score is Gimnasia 3 Atletico Rafaela 2.

And I do need to make one correction to a mistake I made in my preview of these play offs. If either of the home/away series would have ended with the combined scores level, the team from the Primera would has kept their place.

OK, not as short and sweet as I probably should have kept it to, but it did take me far longer to get this thing put together than it normally would...

Round One Of The Play Offs, Maradona's Madness, And More

Just a quick note tonight, as I must be off to bed.

Going over the relegation play off matches played today, All Boys and Rosario Central drew 1-1, giving Central a slight advantage for their home leg. Mauro Matos gave All Boys a 1-0 lead. Guillermo Burdisso equalized for Central.

All Boys had reasons to complain about the result, as they had a possible penalty turned down, and Matos had a goal called back for off sides. Watch the clip below to decide for yourselves...


I haven't found full highlights of Atlético Rafaela's 1-0 victory over Gimnasia LP. That score isn't the securest of leads, but should still be enough to cause some worry amongst Los Lobos.

Also in the news, Diego Maradona has narrowed down the roster to the final 23 who will travel to South Africa for Argentina:

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar), Mariano Andujar (Catania), Diego Pozo (Colon).

Defenders: Nicolas Otamendi (Velez Sarsfield), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich), Walter Samuel (Inter Milan), Gabriel Heinze (Marseille), Nicolas Burdisso (AS Roma), Ariel Garce (Colon), Clemente Rodriguez (Estudiantes).

Midfielders: Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle), Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Angel Di Maria (Benfica), Javier Pastore (Palermo), Maxi Rodriguez (Liverpool), Mario Bolatti (Fiorentina).

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Diego Milito (Inter Milan), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid), Martin Palermo (Boca Juniors).

Juan Manual Insaurralde did not make the final cut, but that's about what I expected. Still, there are plenty of Lepra in the line up. The one's I know off hand are Messi (if you don't believe me, just ask him... ignore his mother,) Maxi Rodriguez, Gabriel Heinze, and Walter Samuel. (I didn't miss anyone, did I?)

What strikes me as sure madness is that D10S plans on using four central defenders in Argentina's first match, and is only taking one true fullback, Clemente Rodriguez.

And lastly, Juan Quiroga is trading in his red and black jersey for a... well, another red and black jersey, actually. In fact he won't even have to move out of Sante Fe province as he's been loaned out to Colón de Santa Fe for the 2010-2011 season.

2010 Relegation Play Offs Preview

In the United States and Canada, even in Mexico, every top professional sports team plays their regular season games with one goal in mind, reaching the play offs. For those of you who know what Argentina's relegation play offs are all about, you can skip the following paragraph.

For those clueless American and Canadians who may have stumbled upon this, whether accidentally, or any other reason, who has never heard of relegation, prepare for a shock. Teams in Argentina don't play to make the play offs, but avoid them. Imagine, if you will, that the two worst teams in MLS (or any other sports league of your choice) at the end of the season swapped places with the two best minor league clubs. That's what happens in leagues through out the world, though the number of teams exchanged varies. In Argentina it's perhaps more complex than anywhere else, as points earned over the course of three seasons are averaged, and the two worst teams based on that average are automatically dropped from the Primera A down to the Primera B, while the Primera B champions and their runners up move up to take their place. In addition, the next two weakest teams in the Primera A face the 3rd and 4th place teams from the Primera B in a home and away play off for the right to play the next season in the Primera A. Got it? Good. (If not, try again. I know it's confusing.)

Already relegated are Chacarita Jrs,and Atlético Tucumán, both had only just been promoted from the Primera B at the beginning of the season. Taking their places are Primera B Champions Olimpo Bahía Blanca and runners up Quilmes.

Heading for the relegation play offs from the Primera A are Rosario Central and Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata. Central will face the Primera B 4th place All Boys, while Gimnasia will take on 3rd place Atletico Rafaela. The Primera B teams will host the first match on Wednesday, May 19th, which, as the theory goes, gives the Primera A teams a slight advantage when the second match is played on Sunday, May 23rd. The winners will be determined on the goal totals from both games, with away goals scored determining the winner in case of a tie, and they'll go to penalties if that is tied as well.

Now Rosario Central, for those who aren't aware, are Newell's Old Boy crosstown arch-rivals, and I'm not going to lie. I've stated many time, here in this very blog, as well as else where, that I'd rather see the Sinas (short for Sin Aliento - a nickname for Central, a rough translation would be "with out volume," which they earn from not exactly being the loudest of fans in Argentina.) remain in the Primera A, only to be forced to play off after play off. This is the second year in a row that they have done so, but now that the time has come, I just can't find it in me to hope for anything other than an All Boys victory. So...

Bye, bye, Sinas! Bye, bye!

2009 Promotion/Relegation Blues

Promotion and relegation in Futbol Argentino can be a confusing thing. For relegation, points are averaged from games played over a three year period. The two teams with the lowest average in the National A are automatically dropped to the National B, and replaced by the top two teams from the lower division.

This year we see San Martin De Tucumán and Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy taking the direct drop out of the National A. Gimnasia Jujuy return to the National B after having won promotion back in 2005 as National B Clausura champions for that year. This was their second stint in the top flight, having gained promotion back in 1994 after winning the 1993/94 National B championship, only to be relegated in 2000.

San Martin, we barely knew you. The team from Tucumán only lasted one year in the top division. This was their third appearance in the National A, with both of their other stays just as long as their third.

Replacing them are newly crowned National B champions Atlético Tucumán, and second place Chacarita Jrs. Tucumán have two other spells in the National A, but the last was over 25 years ago. It will be surprising if they remain more than a year.

If there is a team that I was hoping never to see in the National A ever again, it is Chacarita. They have been away from the top flight for 5 years now, but the memories of their Barras Bravas still linger. These are the "fans" who rained down bits of La Bombonera down from the terraces at there bitterest rivals, the "fans" who in 1984 cost their team 10 points due to their violent ways. When it comes time for their matches against Boca Jrs, it will be more than interesting to see how they are handled. Hopefully the team will be back to the National B after the Clausura 2010.

After that there are the playoff positions. The teams with the third and fourth worst points average in the National A face off against the fourth and third place team from the National B. This year that placed Rosario Central against Belgrano de Cordoba, while Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata played Atletico Rafaela.

Now there was plenty of Leprosos that were cheering for Belgrano over the course of the home/away playoff games. Central, Newell's crosstown rivals, did not give those voices the out come they were hoping for, however. On Wednesday, Los Canallas de Central won their away leg in Cordoba 1-0. Today, in the return leg, Belgrano struck back to even the score to give their, and many an Newell's fan, hope. Those were hopes were thwarted, however, when Central evened the match day score at 1-1, giving them the 2-1 aggregate win.

For my part, while I would have not minded seeing Central take the drop, but am glad they did not. A season with out the Clásico Rosarino wouldn't have seemed right.

The other playoff was even more entertaining, as Atletico Rafaela beat a lack luster Gimnasia LP 3-0 at home. Gimnasia (as the team from La Plata are generally known, as they are traditionally the only Gimnasia in the National A) had never in their history beaten the team from Rafaela, Santa Fe. With their backs against the wall today, Gimnasia broke that egg, beating Rafaela 3-0, the very score they needed to stay up (as the team facing relegation, all they needed was an aggregate draw.)