Santiago Silva scored twice as Velez beat Godoy Cruz 4-0 on Sunday to stay in the race for the Argentina Apertura title with two rounds remaining.
Silva scored in the 32nd minute from close range and again in the 52nd, chipping in from in front. Maxi Moralez scored in the 56th and Jonathan Cristaldo added the final goal seven minutes from the end.
Velez moved to 37 points. League-leading Estudiantes had a 3-1 victory over Argentinos Juniors on Saturday to move to 39 points. Maxi Nunez and Gabriel Mercado scored second-half goals for Estudiantes.
Only Velez or Estudiantes can win the title, which will be decided in the next week with two rounds of matches condensed into a few days.
On Wednesday, Estudiantes play River Plate and Velez is against Huracan. Other 18th-round matches are Tuesday and Thursday. The 19th-round matches are Monday, Dec. 13, with Estudiantes against Arsenal and Velez facing Racing.
Estudiantes will take on River Plate without playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron. Veron picked up a yellow card for protesting a referee's decision in the victory over Argentinos Juniors.
"In these circumstances, it's best not to talk about the referee," Veron said, declining to openly criticize referee Sergio Pezzotta.
In other results Sunday, San Lorenzo played to a 0-0 draw with Newell's, Tigre beat Huracan 3-1, Boca Juniors edged Quilmes 1-0, while Lanus and Independiente played to a scoreless draw.
Denis Stracqualursi scored twice and Leonel Altobelli had the other in Tigre's victory. Rolando Zarate scored for Huracan.
Cristian Erbes scored in the 72nd in Boca's victory. Boca has 23 points, 16 fewer than Estudiantes.
Arsenal is third in the standings with 29 points followed by Racing and River Plate with 28 and Godoy Cruz with 27.
